Creamy Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (Vegan, GF)

Fall is in full swing here in NYC. The farmer's markets are bursting with pumpkins, squash and apples, the air is crisp and smells of smokey embers burning, and the leaves are changing into fiery hues of red orange and yellow.  This is literally my favorite season ever. I love apple picking and baking and cooking with everything pumpkin until I literally can't stand it anymore. I just made these vegan pumpkin donuts yesterday and I swear my apartment still smells like cinnamon and pumpkin. 

While pumpkin is near and dear to my heart I am also a HUGE fan of butternut squash and apples. I probably eat about like 5 apples a day which is probably literally too much of a good thing. Butternut squash is an amazing vegetable and with ridic health benefits. It has 163% of your daily Vitamin A requirement which is necessary for good vision, your immune system (hello! flu season) and cell growth. It also loaded with other vitamins and minerals and a ton of fiber to keep you full and happy. 

Not only is butternut squash so good for you it is also so versatile. You can roast it with other fall veggies, puree it into a pasta sauce, spiralize it for veggie pasta, or you can puree it into a creamy delicious soup as I've done here. This recipe is amazing and is the perfect meal to come home to on a chilly fall night, to serve as an impressive appetizer for a dinner party, or to impress the fam with at Thanksgiving. 

Creamy Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (Vegan, GF)

Serves 6-8


Ingredients:

• 5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed (after roasting)
• 4 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 3 cups organic low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 large organic apple, about 1 cup (I used Fuji)
• ½ cup organic carrot, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 1 organic celery rib
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped sage

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and toss peeled and cubed squash and apple with 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes until the squash and apple are soft.
2. Heat a 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and saute for a minute before adding the garlic and sage. Saute for 30 seconds and add the carrot and celery. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon.
3. Cook for about 5 minutes and lower the heat if the vegetables begin to brown.
4. Add the stock and simmer until the carrots are soft about 10 minutes. 
5. Add the roasted apple and squash and puree in a Vitamix or using an immersion blender. 
6. Enjoy with crusty whole grain bread and a dollop of Greek or coconut/soy yogurt (if vegan).