It’s soup season! Not to wax too poetic about soup, but honestly, I really love the one-pot meal-ness of it, the way it makes my house smell, and that warm full feeling you get in your belly after eating it.  I love thinking about how I will garnish it and how it looks like I cooked it for hours when it really took 30 minutes tops and most of that time I I’m not having to work, so I can hide in my kitchen and catch up on facebook prepare the rest of the meal lovingly for my family while assisting with homework and braiding hair.

Seriously, though, it there anything better than a hearty warm soup that takes very little work? My blender is the star of the show here. I roast the squash in the oven and then scoop out the flesh and blend. It creates a really smooth and velvety texture that coats the spoon and warms your heart. I used these organic butternut squashes that I found at Trader Joe’s called “Honeynut” Squash. Besides being adorable, they were super easy to work with and cooked quickly. If you can’t find these, I’d suggest going with delicata squash or a regular butternut (buy the pre-cut for a super easy shortcut). My goal here was to produce the most delicious final product with the least amount of work and I must admit – I nailed it.

Apples are my secret “something” that adds a flavor that is, not exactly apply, but simply “something”.  The coconut milk gives it a silky texture and the brown sugar and cinnamon give a subtle background sweetness. If you prefer to not use brown sugar, use coconut or maple sugar. Both will do the job and I often use them interchangeably. You can garnish it with a simple drizzle of coconut milk and freshly grated nutmeg as I did here, or it is also delicious with toasted pepitas, bacon crumbles or toasted gluten-free croutons. Some people object to a completely smooth soup and all of these garnishes add a little extra crunch and texture. However you top it, it will certainly warm you up, both body and soul.

Winter Squash and Apple Soup

Prep time: 10 min.
Cook time: 35 min.
Serves 6

Ingredients

6 Honeynut Squash (or 1 medium/large butternut squash)

2 Baking Apples (organic if possible)

2/3 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Stock

1/2 Whole Coconut Milk (from a can)

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

1/4 tsp. Cardamom

Pinch of Salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Slice the squash in half and remove seeds
3. Place face down on a lined baking sheet and roast for 30-40 min or until soft
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to be able to handle them.
5. While the squash is cooling, peel and cut the apples into a large dice
6. Place the apples in a microwave safe dish with 2 Tbs. of water and cook on high for a minute or until softened
7. Scoop the flesh of the squash out and place in a blender
8. Add the apple and liquid in the dish
9. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until smooth.
10. Serve in a bowl with a drizzle of coconut milk and some freshly grated nutmeg on top

Notes

• If you want some extra “heat” for the soup add 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
• You can also brown some additional diced apples in butter or ghee for a garnish and some added texture.