Squash Pumpkin Apple Soup

It's that time of year again- when I start making all of the same favorites of squash salads and soups, squash pasta sauce, squash mac and cheese, squash risotto and of course, squash soup. It's all you have on the mind when you have mounds of squash, pumpkins, apples and all the savory fresh herbs coming in plenty. Which most definitely includes squash soup- with added coconut cream and a pinch or two of some spice. It's thick and creamy and a bisque without the dairy. It's almost like a cloud of creamy squash that melts in your mouth with each bite. It's at it's best this season and you cannot go through the fall season without it at least once.

This year I tried a few different flavors. I added in leeks and apples for some sweet and tart. I also diversified the flavors by adding in some pumpkin puree along with the squash. And even though, I usually LOVE roasting the squash first in the oven with some garlic, this soup was made much quicker by peeling and cubing the butternut squash and tossing it hard into the broth to cook and soften within 30 minutes. Then lastly I used the immersion blender to cream up and smooth through each boiled and cooked part to blend together to make a creamy...heavenly bowl of goodness.

Squash Pumpkin Apple Soup Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut and sugar-free}

2 TB of avocado or olive oil
1 large leek chopped (1 heaping cup of finely chopped leeks)
6-8 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed
2 large apples peeled and finely chopped
1 heaping cup of pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
4-6 cups of broth
1 cup of coconut milk or plant milk of choice
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg
pinch of ground thyme and sage
sea salt to taste
ground pepper to taste

raw or roasted pumpkin seeds to top

In a medium pot, saute the leeks and garlic, and then add in the squash and apples and saute for a few more minutes. Then add in the rest of the ingredients and let boil for 20-30 minutes until the butternut and apples get so soft and break down. Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender and blend until so soft and creamy or until your desired texture. You can also cool down and pour soup into a high powered blender and blend on high and then re-warm up for serving. Just be careful this could get dangerously hot :) I like to use the immersion blender for this reason. Serve up with a drizzle of coconut cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. 

ENJOY!

Happy soup-making! Tis' the season of fall when I make all things with squash and apples- and my kids say...."soup for dinner, again?!?" Yes!!! Yes :)

Much love and light to you, xoxo