Recipe Redux: Skinny French Onion Soup with a Whole Wheat Bread Bowl

Every start of the new year brings the 'in and out' list from the Washington post. The same thing happens in the food industry with the food trend forecast. This month's Recipe Redux challenge was to make a one pot meal that was all about a food trend. I picked the use of veggies, especially winter vegetables, at the center of restaurant meals. Since it's freezing January, I thought it might be nice to make it a riff on a classic, so now, I bring you Skinny French Onion soup. I used butternut squash to make it healthier and cut the fat by at least half. In true soup form, I made a mini bread bowl (whole wheat) that would be the perfect start to any party meal.

Skinny French Onion Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 white onions, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, dried (although fresh is great!)
• 1 C vegetables stock
• 1 C water
• 1 c cubed butternut squash, make them small for a better bite
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 5 drops worcestershire sauce
• sliced goat cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• whole wheat rolls

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. Remove from pot and place in a bowl. Add chopped butternut squash and vegetable stock and water to the large pot. Cover and allow to cook until the butternut squash can be pierced with a knife. Remove the broth and squash from the pot and place it in a bowl. Put the onions back in the pot and add flour. Allow to cook for 3 minutes to remove the floury taste.  Add the squash and broth back in and add the worcester and vinegar. Allow to cook for seven to ten minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Scoop out the insides of a roll. These are rolls I made from my home made whole wheat bread recipe. Add the soup to the bread bowl. Slice goat cheese and lay over the top. Place on a pan and slide under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and browns.

 This recipe was a big win. The deep flavors of a regular french onion soup were still there with added pep from the goat cheese and vinegar. I liked the textural addition of the squash to the normally (don't kill me) slimy onions. Because goat cheese is so strong, you only need a little and you won't miss the sloppy strands of the regular recipe.

So what do you say? Are you in for a skinny French Onion soup?

Check out other recipes for this month below: