Broccoli Rabe, Butternut Squash, and White Bean Soup

Last week I cooked with broccolini and cautioned against buying broccoli rabe by accident - here's your chance to cook with broccoli rabe! Interestingly, it is actually from the same subspecies as the turnip, rather than broccoli.

To make this soup, start by cutting 2 cups butternut squash into 3/4-inch cubes; arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Drizzle the squash with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, and toss to coat. Bake at 450 degrees until tender - about 25 minutes (I took mine out a minute or two early); set aside.

Meanwhile, cut an 8-ounce bunch of broccoli rabe into thirds crosswise. Place the broccoli rabe in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 and 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove; cook for 5 minutes.

Add the butternut squash, 4 and 1/2 cups vegetable broth (this was leftover holiday turkey stock in the original recipe), and 1 (15-ounce) drained and rinsed can of cannellini beans; cook for 10 minutes.

Place 1 and 1/2 cups of the soup in a blender and process until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the rest of the soup still in the pan. Stir in the broccoli rabe and 1/4 tsp. salt, and cook for 5 minutes.

You'll have 4 hearty servings of 1 and 3/4 cups and 200 calories each.

Cost:
butternut squash $3.53
broccoli rabe $2.99
onion $0.88
vegetable broth $6.48
cannellini beans $0.89