I love summer squash, and eat as much of it as I can during the months when it is growing abundantly. Although I usually eat it roasted, in ratatouille, or cooked with other vegetables in foil packets over a fire, I had never before combined it with potatoes and corn in a soup. However, when I saw an instant pot variation of this recipe from Brand New Vegan, I knew that I had to try it. I am so glad that I did! This soup is easy to make, inexpensive, and filling. Delicious by itself, it is incredible when topped with the red pepper maple relish. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can also carefully puree the soup in small batches in your blender. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Soup:
 3 cups vegetable broth
 1 large potato (white or yellow make the creamiest soup), scrubbed and diced
 2 yellow summer squash, diced
 1 small onion, diced
 2 garlic cloves, diced
 ¾ teaspoon salt
 ¼ teaspoon white pepper
 ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
 3 cups corn (fresh, frozen, or canned)
 1 (4-ounce) can of green chile peppers (fire-roasted are best!)

Relish:
 ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
 ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
 ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. To a large pot, add vegetable broth, diced potato, squash, onion, garlic, salt, pepper,
cumin, and one cup of corn. Heat at medium-high heat for about 15 minutes (or until
vegetables are soft), stirring regularly.
2. Remove pot from heat, and use an immersion blender to puree until smooth.
3. Return the soup pot to the stovetop, and stir in the remaining corn and green chiles. Heat
at medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
4. While the soup is cooking, finely dice the red bell pepper and parsley, and mix with the
lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
5. Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with a heaping spoonful of relish. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (calculated with soup and relish): Serving size: 1/4th recipe | Servings per
recipe: 4 | Calories: 202, total fat: 0.3 g, saturated fat: 0 g, cholesterol: 0 mg, sodium: 629 mg,
carbohydrates: 45.6 g, fiber: 5.8 g, sugar: 13.5 g, protein: 5.3 g

*Recipe adapted from Brand New Vegan

Photo at top provided by MB Mitcham.