Golden Summer Squash & Corn Soup

From EatingWell: July/August 2009 — Subscribe Now!

Pureed summer squash makes a delicious base for this summery squash and corn soup. Start your meal with the soup or enjoy it as a light lunch. Fresh thyme and briny feta cheese give it fabulous flavor. For a variation, try the soup with any herb you have on hand or goat cheese in place of feta.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This soup is delicious...that is MY version, in which I substituted some of the copious amounts of zucchini I grew for the squash. So I'd have to rename it something like Emerald Zucchini & Corn Soup. :) I've already made a second...

4 servings, scant 1 cup each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 medium summer squash, (about 1 pound), diced
3 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano, divided
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear; see Tip)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add squash and 1 teaspoon herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash starts to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add broth and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft and mostly translucent, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Return the soup to the pan and stir in corn. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice. Serve garnished with the remaining 2 teaspoons herbs and feta.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Kitchen Tip: To remove corn from the cob, stand an uncooked ear of corn on its stem end in a shallow bowl and slice the kernels off with a sharp, thin-bladed knife. If making a soup, after cutting off the kernels, you can reverse the knife and use the dull side to press down the length of the ear to push out the rest of the corn and its milk.

Nutrition

Per serving: 111 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 462 mg sodium; 497 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat