Sweet, spicy, and savory squash soup

If it hasn't already been super apparent from my blog, I love fall recipes. Soup is definitely a staple of this time of year, but I am usually deterred by the long prep time of a good squash soup. Squash roasts very slowly, and takes a long time to get soft enough to blend into a smooth concoction. Here, I did an acorn squash, sweet potato, carrot, and apple soup in just 40 minutes! It was all thanks to some handy tricks with my freezer and microwave. I was really happy with the results, and it served as the perfect November lunch! Plus, it is super healthy! Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 of an acorn squash, frozen

2 sweet potatos

2 carrots

1-2 Golden Delicious apples

1 medium sized onion

4 cups water

1 cup milk (or coconut milk for vegans)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp red chili powder

salt

pepper

optional garnish: chopped cilantro, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds

The steps:

I discovered the last time that I could only use half of an acorn squash, that they freeze really well in maintaining flavor, but loose a lot of their structural integrity. This is perfect for soup! I freeze them in halves, wrapped in Saran wrap. 

1. Microwave the frozen squash for 3-5 minutes.

2. While waiting for the squash, peel the sweet potatoes and carrots and chop into large chucks.

3. Chop the onions and saute in a little bit of vegetable oil till brown. You can do this in the same pot that you will eventually make the soup in.

4. Swap out the squash for the carrots and sweet potatoes, and nuke those for 3-4 minutes. 

5. While waiting for the carrots and potatoes, chop the squash into large slices and peel the squash from the skin. It should come off pretty easily. 

6. Chop up the apples into small pieces (you do not need to peel the apples).

7. Take the sweet potatoes and carrots out of the microwave and do a quick chop on those too. It should be easy now that they are soft. 

8. Throw everything (sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, onions, apple) into the blender with the water and milk. You may have to do this in batches if your blender is too small, so make sure each batch has enough liquid such that it bends well. 

9. Pour the mixture into the pot and bring to a simmer (about 5 minutes on medium heat). Add all of the spices, including salt and pepper to taste. The vegetables are quite bland and you will need enough salt to help bring out their flavors. 

10. Lastly, garnish with a few drops of sesame oil, a few toasted sesame seeds, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.