1 good size or three small to medium fresh zucchini/and or yellow squash
1 small to medium size onion
1 carrot
1-2 TBLS butter or olive oil
vegetable stock
roasted cumin or anise seed
salt & pepper to taste
couple tablespoons of 1/2 & 1/2, creme fraich or soy, almond or oat milk
chopped fresh herbs to garnish

Take a few small well behaved size zucchinis or a giant one from your garden or farmer's market. Chop an onion in large pieces & saute in sweet butter on low until wilted and just starting to soften. Add a chopped carrot if you like, or just the zucchinis cut into chunks.

Add roasted cumin seed or anise seed to the saute pan & cook all until just softened. Season with salt & pepper & add vegetable stock until just barely covered.

Bring to a boil & lower the heat & cook on medium until just tender, perhaps 10 minutes.

Then use a blending stick or cuisinart or blender to puree soup. Check seasoning & add more ground cumin or anise seed to taste. Let the soup marinate overnight or for a few hours for the most flavor.

Reheat till just heated through after adding a few tablespoons of half & half or heavy cream. Or use soy, almond or oat milk if you are vegan. For the sattvic version, omit the onions, use ghee instead of butter if you have some on hand & use extra spices & skip the marinating overnight part. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs such as parsley or cilantro to go with the cumin seasoning or use fennel fronds snipped to go with the anise seed.

Squash is a member of the gourd family, related to cucumbers & melons & like those foods provide a cool relief from summer's heat. They are a very American food, as in from the Americas! Squashes are filled with carotenoids, vitamin C & potssium, calcium & fiber. Winter squashes are more nutritious with "greater amounts of natural sugars, carbohydrates & vitamin A," according to Paul Pitchford. He says that the watery squashes have a yin, cooling & refreshing property, that they relieve edema or difficulty urinating. (Make sure you eat the skins!) he further states that if you have compromised digestive fire, you don't want to eat too much zucchini because it can "diminish the 'middle heater' energy and warmth necessary for good digestion."

Bon appetit!! A votre sante!!