I have been a bit uninspired lately. I apologize. Don’t get me wrong, I have so many things to be grateful about; a new town, a new job, new expectations, and this blog. There is something missing though, something is just not there… and what bugs me is that I cannot put a finger on it. Maybe it is not living in my own place. Maybe I just miss the fall, the idea of visible change. And as I reminisce of nice places and old times, I sip a soul warming roasted butternut squash soup.

This soup comes together very quickly, with just a few ingredients and plenty of spices. Butternut squash was my go to vegetable last winter, I mix it in salads and soups, but today I felt like making butternut squash’s sweet decadence shine through just by itself.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• About 1 cup vegetable stock (depends on how thick you like your soup)
• About 3 cups of cubed butternut squash ( i am lazy with gourds)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• About 1-2 teaspoons of salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat butternut squash)

Preheat oven to 450 degreed Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place cubed butternut squash and garlic cloves in a clean bowl. Add spices, honey and olive oil and mix until everything is evenly coated. Place butternut squash on prepared baking sheet. Roast for approximately 15-20 minutes. This new oven I am now using roast everything quickly. What my previous oven cooked in 30-40 minutes, now takes half the time. The important thing is that the butternut squash cooks through, and turns golden at the edges.

While roasting, heat vegetable stock in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove cooked butternut squash from oven, once ready, and place in blender or food processor. Add ¼ of a cup of stock into the blender at a time. Purée. Continue adding stock until soup reaches desired consistency.  Pour soup back into sauce pan and heat.

Serve on a bowl and sprinkle fresh herbs, such as cilantro, pine nuts, and olive oil. I unfortunately ran out of cilantro right before making this, but I think it would be a great addition. Enjoy!