Fennel Butternut Squash Miso Soup With Toasted Seeds

There a lot of “wellness” women out there these days. Would I be considered one of them? Maybe. I’ve been called one before. Ok fine, I totally am one. 

And I say this without judgement (because I’m one of them), that a lot of us discovered good food, the connection to plants, and/or love of all things wellness not so long ago. Maybe it was an illness, a career change, or a documentary that piqued our interest to explore this path in health and wellness. Whatever it was, it took some of us a while to get here. But not Lily Diamond. She started absorbing this path in her mother’s womb. 

Lily was born on what she describes as a “kind of commune” in California. And when she was two, she moved to a mountainside in Maui. There, her total health-nut mom (before being one was cool) taught Lily to garden, to understand the power of herbs and flowers, and how to truly live off the land. The kind of experiences that people pay a lot of money for, in the way of fancy retreats. But that’s just how she grew up. 

Seeing that Lily has lived this life of wellness way longer than her peers (me again), she could be a little salty about it… “Who are these chicks rolling in with nutritional yeast, like it’s a new thing? I’ve been eating that shit since I was three !” or “Hello! Natural skincare is NOT new.” The “I liked that band way before they were cool” kind of vibe. But she doesn’t do any of that. She’s just really excited we’re all here, have finally caught up to her, and now wants to teach us everything she knows. Which is a lot. 

Her debut book shares it all. Kale & Caramel is a skincare book, a cookbook, and a memoir. It’s also a love letter to her teacher, her mom. Lily’s mom sadly passed away, but this book honors her spirit and everything she taught Lily. But also all the things Lily taught herself too. Her recipes are simple, the stories are beautiful, and there’s not one ounce of judgement. 

This book is pure love. 

One of my favorite recipes from the book below. 

{ Fennel Butternut Squash Miso Soup With Toasted Seeds } 
    Serves 3-4
    from Lily Diamond’s Kale & Caramel 

For the soup: 
3 cups roasted or steamed butternut squash (canned is also fine)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium fennel bulb, washed and sliced, plus
¼ cup minced fennel fronds for garnish
¼ cup olive oil
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more for garnish
1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons miso paste

For the seeds: 
1 teaspoon raw virgin coconut oil
2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
Flaky sea salt
Coconut milk or plain yogurt, for drizzling

 
MAKE THE SOUP
Puree the squash in a food processor or blender until completely smooth. Set aside.

Place the onion and sliced fennel in a stockpot or large saucepan with the oil, salt,cayenne, and coriander. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently,then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirringoccasionally, until the onion and fennel softenand begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the squash and cook for another 5minutes.Then add the coconut milk and broth and stir to incorporate fully, increasing theheat to medium. Put on the lid and cook for another 5 minutes, then scoop 1 cup of theliquid (not the onion and fennel) into a bowl.Whisk in the miso, until most clumps aregone. Return the mixture to the pot, reducethe heat to low, and stir to combine. Replacethe lid and cook for another 5 minutes.

Transfer to a blender and blend at medium speed until the soup is mostly pureed, with some texture left. Return the soup to the pot and cover.

MAKE THE TOASTED SEEDS
Place the coconut oil in a small frying pan and melt over medium heat. Swirl to coat the pan. Add the sesame and fennel seeds and a sprinkle of salt. Use a spatula to coat the seeds with the oil and let them toast for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. If they start to brown too quickly, remove from the heat.Transfer to a small bowl.

SERVE THE SOUP
Top the soup with a drizzle of coconutmilk, the minced fennel fronds, a sprinkleof toasted sesame seeds, and cayenne andsalt to taste.

For more Lily, visit her website, Instagram, and definitely buy her book.