Butternut Squash Soup

This is a great winter warmer and it's dairy free. It is a thick, rich soup with tons of flavor. It is something I put together with ingredients I already had on hand. This is super easy, quick and a delicious way to use squash. The day I made this, I was taking it to my friend who had just had a baby and she was looking forward to something yummy and nourishing as she is a brand new mom and she is learning all about being a mamma to her baby girl. This soup is deeply nourishing and satisfying and my friend loved the soup and requested a second portion! Give this one a try, you won't be disappointed.

Prep time: 45 minutes (you can prepare other ingredients while the squash is baking)

Servings: 4 or 5 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 large butternut squash
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup orange juice
1 tblsp olive oil or butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard
8 oz shiitake mushrooms
dash of cayenne ( to taste)

Preheat the oven to 375. Split the squash lengthwise, remove seeds and place face down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake until soft, approx 30-40 min. Cool, then scoop out the insides into the bowl of a food processor. Blend with the water until smooth. Transfer to a large soup pot and stir in the orange juice.
Heat the butter or oil in a skillet, and saute the onion, garlic, spices and sea salt. Saute over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent, approx 8 min. 
Add the onions to the soup pot with the pureed butternut squash. Scrape out all of the caramelized bits from the skillet. Heat the soup gently, adding additional water if needed. Once it is hot, taste it and adjust the seasonings by adding more salt and/or the cayenne pepper. 

Pureed squash

Sauteed onions and spices

Squash and onion mixture blended together in soup pot.