Butternut Squash Soup

12 ingredients · 50 minutes · 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups Vegetable Stock
4 cloves Garlic (peeled and minced)
1 Carrot (peeled and roughly chopped)
1 Granny Smith Apple (cored and roughly chopped)
1 Medium Butternut Squash, peeled (about 3-4 lbs, seeded and diced)
1 White Onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
1 leave Sprig Fresh Sage
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 pinch Of Ground Cinnamon And Nutmeg 1/2 cup Canned Coconut Milk (unsweetened)

Directions

1. SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS: Add vegetable stock, garlic, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, onion, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg to a small (4-quart) slow cooker or large (6-quart) slow cooker. Toss to combine.

2. Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high, or until the squash is completely tender and mashes easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.

3. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. (Or you can transfer the soup in two batches into a traditional blender and puree until smooth, being extremely careful not to fill the blender too full with a hot liquid.) Taste, and season with additional salt, pepper and cayenne as needed.

4. Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes.

5. STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS: Add vegetable stock, garlic*, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, onion*, salt, pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg a large stockpot.

   Toss to combine.

6. Cook on medium-high until the mixture reaches a simmer. Then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are all tender and mash easily with a fork.

7. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.

8. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. (Or you can transfer the soup in two batches into a traditional blender and puree until smooth,
   being extremely careful not to fill the blender too full with a hot liquid.) Taste, and season with additional salt, pepper and cayenne as needed.

9. NOTE: for a richer flavor, roast the butternut squash, carrot and onion prior to the stovetop directions. I toss mine with a bit of coconut oil and roast at 400 deg for approx 20-25 min. Then follow the rest of the directions.