Touch of Sweet Squash Soup

      While I might usually consider this to be a winter dish based on the ingredients, it just so happens that the Farmer’s Market has been bursting with acorn and butternut squashes lately.  Plus, this soup is also very good cold and would make a great addition to a backyard summer brunch.

      This soup takes a bit of time to prepare, but most of that time is roasting and cooling time.  The ingredients are pretty simple and not real cooking skill is needed to create a wonderful depth of flavor.

Ingredients
– 2 large Acorn Squashes (or other squashes, butternut are also in season and would work well, in addition to a number of others)
– 1 med/large Onion
– 2 or 3 Organic Apples
– Grapeseed or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– Desired Herbs and Spices (I used 2 large sprigs fresh Rosemary, 2 sprigs fresh Oregano, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Brown Sugar)
– 2 – 4 cups Low Sodium Veggie Broth (make your own!) as desired.
 
Directions
1. Chop the onions (don’t need to be finely diced).  Set aside to rest.
2.  Halve the squashes and scoop out the seeds (save for replanting or compost!).  Arrange the squashes, cut side up, in a baking dish.

3.  Core and chop the apples, skin on, into roughly 1 inch cubes.  Put the apples and onion over and around the squashes in the baking dish.
4.  Finely chop the herbs and sprinkle over the squashes, apples, and onion.
5.  Mist or drizzle the squashes, apples, onion, and herbs with the oil (I used oregano infused evoo, but any grapeseed or evoo would work fine).
6.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg (or other desired spices).
7.  Sprinkle with brown sugar or molasses (optional).
8.  Add about 1/2 in water to bottom of baking dish.

9.  Bake at 400 F (no need to pre-heat; save energy!) for about 30 minutes or until the squashes are soft and cooked through.  Edges of the squashes, apples, and onion should be browning.
10.  Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the squashes, and transfer everything except the squash shells from the baking dish to a food processor or blender.
11.  Add some veggie broth and blend until smooth/desired consistency.
12.  Depending on the size of your food processor and the consistency you want, you may want to transfer the soup to a pot and stir in more broth.
13.  No further cooking is necessary.  You can heat or cool to your desired serving temp from here.

      Enjoy! And as always, let me know if you try it. 

Ethical:
      The squashes and onion were from a local, sustainable farm at the local farmer’s market.  They were grown without pesticides or chemical fertalizers.
      The apples were organic but I’m not sure if they were local.
      The rosemary and oregano were from our garden (no pesticides and fertilized with compost).
      The veggie broth was homemade (so easy!) from mostly organic, local, and garden veggie scraps.
       The brown sugar was Fair Trade.
      I did not preheat the oven.