anilla, chestnuts, ricotta and Parmesan cheeses all contribute a pleasant but unusual flavor to this soup. Chestnuts are the only nuts that are low in fat, but high in vitamin C and folate. Some technical notes: a good vegetable peeler is your best bet for removing the skin from the squash; vegetable broth can be substituted for chicken broth; and an immersion hand blender works well for pureeing the soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and coarsely diced into uniform pieces
• 6 cups Health Valley low fat chicken broth, fat discarded if possible
• 1 vanilla pod
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 3 tablespoons Clement Faugier chestnut puree
• 1/2 cup Polly-O part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Reggiano-Parmesan cheese

Instructions:


1. Place squash chunks in a heavy soup pot with a lid. Cover with 4 cups of broth. Cut the vanilla pod open lengthwise and use the tip of a small sharp knife to scrape the black dust (the beans) into the soup. Add the pod and sage leaves, turn the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Stir soup and reduce heat to low to soften the squash, about 20-30 minutes. Turn off the heat.

2. Remove vanilla pod and sage leaves. Use an immersion blender to puree the squash. Add the chestnut puree, ricotta cheese, and nutmeg. Blend well with hand blender. Add remaining broth to thin soup to desired texture. Heat through over low heat, taste and add salt if needed. Just before serving, stir in Reggiano-Parmesan cheese to melt it. Ladle one cup of soup into each bowl. If not eating all the soup at this sitting, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of parmesan cheese to each bowl before serving.