Looking for a healthy comfort food dish to warm your body after a hard winter workout? Olympic short-track speed skater Jessica Kooreman’s squash soup will warm your belly and refuel your muscles.
Here’s what you need
Kooreman starts this hearty soup with tender chunks of butternut and acorn squash, onion, and garlic. She adds mild curry paste and jalapeño to give it a tongue-tantalizing heat. While the soup is simmering to perfection, the speed skating athlete cooks a pot of sticky rice and pan-fries a lean chicken breast with salt, pepper, and turmeric. To serve, Kooreman ladles the squash soup into bowls and tops with sticky rice, chicken, diced avocado, and a garnish of pumpkin seeds.
ALSO TRY: Jessica Kooreman’s ground beef taco recipe
This recipe is packed with nutrients
Every ingredient in this Olympic-flavored soup is picked for its delicious and nutritious benefits. The curry and turmeric deliver anti-inflammatory compounds, which are helpful in muscle recovery after grueling workouts or competition. Winter squash, one of the world’s healthiest foods, is rich with immunity-boosting antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Pumpkin seeds are also high in antioxidants and other valuable nutrients, including healthy fats, manganese, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Avocado is another source of healthy fats and adds a nice color and creamy texture. The skinless chicken breast is loaded with muscle-building protein, which is an essential dietary component for athletes to stay in top shape. Sticky rice may not be a whole grain, but it is a quick and easy way to replace the carbohydrates a competitive athlete burns during fast and furious workouts. As a busy athlete, Kooreman works meal prep into her schedule. She makes many of her favorite healthful meals in advance so she can easily reheat and eat. This sumptuous soup can be made on the weekend and enjoyed all week long. ALSO TRY: 8 perfect pasta soups for comfort food lovers
Watch the recipe video and check out others with Jessica Kooreman on Grateful.co.
