Creamy Squash Soup

     This morning I was looking in the refrigerator, taking note of what was there and what needed to get used up. I definitely needed to make something with the cashew cream I made a few days ago. I had one more bag of frozen pumpkin in the freezer. This was from the Halloween pumpkin I cooked. I had a match! Cashew cream, pumpkin, carrot, onion and green apple would make a perfect soup for lunch. Ingredients I already have on hand.

     Years ago I hosted our extended families Thanksgiving dinner. The squash and apple soup I made had a lasting impression. A few months ago I gave that recipe a make over because it used butter and heavy cream. My husband wasn't as fond of the make over recipe. He knew something was missing but didn't exactly know what it was. I knew...the butter & heavy cream!

     I am very happy with today's adaptation and think I am very close to the rich, creamy taste of the original recipe. I could eat this soup by the gallon, that's how much I love it! There are just some things that we eat that feel like they are warming our insides with nourishment. This is one of those soups!

Update- My husband came home for lunch and loved the soup!


Creamy Squash Soup
serves 6
dairy free
printable recipe

Ingredients:
2 T. virgin coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
2 1/2 - 3 cups vegetable stock
2 1/2 cups cooked, puréed squash or pumpkin*
1/2 t. ground turmeric
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground pepper
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 T. Earth Balance Buttery Spread, soy free
3/4 cup cashew cream**

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the coconut oil. Add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrot and apple, continue cooking about 4 more minutes until the carrots and apples are tender and the onion begins to caramelize. Be patient with this step, the caramelized onions give a nice depth of flavor to the soup.

Sometimes I will add some chopped cauliflower to this mixed.

2. Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add about 1/2 cup of the vegetable stock. Purée until the mixture is creamy. Return the mixture to the soup pot.

3. Add the squash or pumpkin, 2 cups of vegetable stock, turmeric, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Bring soup to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning's. Start by adding 1/2 cup cashew cream. Add more if needed. If you want the soup to be thinner add a little more vegetable stock.

Stir in the Earth Balance Buttery spread until melted. Garnish with a spoon of cashew cream and sprinkle of nutmeg.


*I like to use butternut squash or a combination of butternut and acorn squash. For my Thanksgiving soup I used the combination of squashes. If I want to make a really quick soup I will use canned pumpkin. The flavor and color will be altered a little based on the type of squash you use.

**I added 1 T. agave syrup and a pinch of salt to the cashew cream. This gave it a sweet cream flavor which I liked for the soup. If you have a nut allergy, then coconut cream would be an alternative.