Its officially fall, and you know what that means....
Endless Scary Movie Marathons?
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People Saying Sweatah Weathah?
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Girls From Your Hometown Apple Picking in Knee High Boots?
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Well, yes, all of those but equally as importantly.... Its SQUASH Season.
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Okay, I love squash, but I wasn't always such a fan. In fact, it might sound silly but squash sort of intimidated me (in terms of preparing it). Other than using pumpkin puree for a pie, I wasn't really sure how to turn a hard, difficult to cut, vegetable in rock form, into something edible let alone delicious.
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But once I learned proper roasting techniques I found, not only how delicious this little babies are, but how versatile and how easily they take on different flavors.
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The butternut variety seems to get a LOT of fall attention, but there are lots of other (and more delicious in my opinion) types of squash to familiarize yourself with.
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This recipe focuses on acorn squash. Acorn squash is entirely uncelebrated in my opinion. Its a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Beta Carotene, Calcium, Potassium, Folic Acid and Magnesium. Its also easier to prepare than butternut AND has a milder flavor, making it more versatile than some other varietals.
The flavor of the roasted acorn squash in tandem with the smoky and spicy elements of the cayenne make this an absolute knock out and will be something unique to get your through fall (or winter for that matter) soup season.
Smoky Cayenne Acorn Squash Soup
Two Acorn Squash
2 Tbsp Avocado Oil (or Olive Oil)
3 Cloves Garlic (minced)
2 Large Shallots (minced)
1 Cup Plain Almond Milk
2 Cups Vegetable Stock
Salt to Taste
Pepper to Taste
1/2 Tsp Red Curry Powder
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Liquid Smoke
1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 Tsp Honey
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Powder (Optional)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut squash lengthwise, as shown above. Scoop out the seeds (set aside to toast later) and place the squash skin side down in a large roasting pan (you can use two if you don't have one large enough). Fill pan with about a 1/4 inch of water to prevent the squash from drying during roasting and roast for about forty-five minutes to an hour or until fork tender. Once they are done, pull them out of the oven and set them aside until they are cool enough to handle.
Next, in a large soup pot, saute the shallots and garlic in the avocado oil until they become translucent. Scoop out the insides of the roasted squashes and add them to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and curry and stir for about a minute or two. Next add in the vegetable stock and almond milk and then stir in the remaining ingredients. Let simmer for about 10 minutes, adjusting the flavors if desired.
Next, transfer the soup into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve hot and top with some crackers, or toasted pumpkin seeds, or dairy free cheese... or maybe all three.
Enjoy xoxo