Broccoli is full of nutrients, but many people don't like broccoli.  This is sure to make you eat more broccoli in one sitting than you normally eat in a year, and still want more!

- 2-3 large broccoli heads, with stems (the key to GOOD broccoli soup is the stems.... better to chop up the stems of a half dozen broccoli heads if you can't find broccoli with loooooong stems)

- 1/4 cup chopped onions (I usually use far less, just a tablespoon or 2)

- 32 fl oz or a quart of milk (I use one whole carton of rice milk- unsweetened and make sure there is no vanilla flavoring in it)

- Spoonful of butter or ghee (which is also known as clarified butter and doesn't have any lactose or casein in it)

-Salt and pepper

1) Chop up broccoli heads into large bite size pieces.   Peel/cut away to tough fiberous skins of the broccoli stems and cut stems into rounds.

2) Combine broccoli, onion, butter/ghee, and milk in a large pot (the milk should not cover the broccoli and only be about 2/3 of the way up) and simmer on medium-low with a lid until broccoli is cooked.   Stir occasionally to make sure the broccoli is cooked evenly.

3) Pour entire contents into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with croutons or crackers. 

Butternut squash is an EXCELLENT tomato substitute! This "tomato sauce" recipe can be made with only the squash and the tomatoes omitted if necessary and still tastes great!  I find adding tomatoes to the butternut squash sauce rounds out the flavor really well.

-1/2 small Butternut squash

-2 large tomatoes (or a half dozen Roma)... if you can, go organic because they taste better and have more minerals and less acid

-Vinegar (any kind... I use rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)

-salt and pepper

-herbs (like your favorite dried italian herb mix or chopped fresh ones like parsley, basil, oregano, sage, or cilantro)

-Chicken or veggie broth (or water or milk.... really any liquid)

1) Cook butternut squash (roast, grill, or steam).  It cooks much faster if you cube into very small chunks

2) Dice tomatoes very small.  Put in a small sauce pan with 1-2 tablespoons (a "splash") of vinegar.  If the tomatoes are not very "juicy", add just a LITTLE water.  Simmer on med-low with a lid on, stirring occasionally until thick.  Be careful not to burn when it starts cooking down (it really needs to be on the lowest setting and cooked as long as possible for optimum yumminess).  It often helps to peel the tomato and cut out the harder center part out before putting it in the pot to cook.

3) Combine cooked squash and cooked tomatoes in a small blender or food processor.  Add 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp wine/sherry and/or broth or water to thin it out to your desired sauce consistency if necessary.  Add salt and pepper to taste and Italian herbs to taste (this is the fun part because you get to taste it between each addition!).

4) Serve over pasta or any recipe calling for tomato sauce.  This makes 1-2 servings of sauce, depending on the size of your 1/2 squash.