The Best Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

Seriously, you will thank me for this one. I hope.
I think my body was taken over by some long-dead, amazing chef when I made this.
At least that's what I told my honey, Tyler.




Recipe:

8-10 cups of vegetable stock
This is super easy to make and customize to your taste.
We really like peppery things so I use quite a few peppercorns while making the stock.
This can also be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
Here's the DL on veggie stock plus a great recipe.
2 good sized butternut squashes roasted and scooped
Is squashes a word? What is the plural for squash?
A few dashes of cinnamon
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 tbls olive oil or coconut oil + a few dabs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp ground ginger
A few dashes of pepper
Dash nutmeg
1/2 c chopped greens (spinach, kale, parsley...any kind you like)

This made enough for my family to eat twice, plus a couple extra side bowls.
Feel free to 1/2 the recipe if using just one squash.

Oven 350 degrees. There are many ways to roast a squash.
Some people like theirs facing down, some use water in the pan,
I like to roast mine facing up.
Slice squash in half, scoop the seeds, dab a teensy bit of coconut oil on the flesh.
 I also dust mine with cinnamon.
Bake/Roast in the oven for about an hour,
depending on the thickness of your squash.
Some take less, some take more.





You can tell the squash is done when a fork easily slides through the flesh to the skin.
It kind of creeps me out calling it flesh but that's what it's called.
Still, it makes me think of zombies.





Scoop the squash out of its skin, set aside.





Chop the carrots, celery and onions. Heat oil in large pot, add veggies.





Yes, I like the center baby leaves of the celery!
When the veggies have softened a bit, add vegetable stock
(thicker soup with 8 cups, thinner with 10) and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil, then add squash + remaining spices.
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Pick out the bay leaf and use an immersion blender to make a super "creamy" soup.
I don't have pictures of this because I don't have an immersion blender.
I had to transfer everything to my food processor,
which worked wonderfully but was a big pain in the booty.




Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with chopped greens.
Taste, smile, ahhhhh....so satisfying. Perfect for fall weather.




Let me know if you try this.
I'd love to know what you think.
Constructive criticism welcome!