Ingredients 1 cup gluten free oats 1/2 cup dates ¼ cup shredded coconut 1 tablespoon…
• 1-2 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds), halved vertically and seeded
• 1 can organic pumpkin
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ½ cup chopped onion (about 1 large shallot bulb)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Up to 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash on the pan and drizzle each half with just enough olive oil to lightly coat the squash on the inside (about 1 teaspoon each). Rub the oil over the inside of the squash and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
2. Turn the squash face down and roast until it is tender and completely cooked through, about 45 to 50 minutes. Set the squash aside until it’s cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Then use a large spoon to scoop the butternut squash flesh into a bowl and discard the tough skin.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet (or large soup pot, if you’ll be serving soup from that pot), warm 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, ginger , garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is starting to turn golden on the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. If you have a high performance blender like a Vitamix transfer the cooked onion and garlic to your blender. Add the reserved butternut, nutmeg and a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth, being careful not to fill the container past the maximum fill line (you can stir in any remaining broth later). Secure the lid and select the soup preset. The blender will stop running once the soup is super creamy and hot.
5. Now transfer the mixture to big soup pot and add the pumpkin puree’ and rest of the broth or water to thin it a bit and let it cook for 30-40 minutes. Add the hot sauce for a little kick.
6. Serve immediately (I like to top each bowl with a little more black pepper). Let leftover soup cool completely before transferring it to a proper storage container and refrigerating it for up to 4 days (leftovers taste even better the next day!). Or, freeze this soup for up to 3 months.
