Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

Upon waking, a big mug full of hot banana-cinnamon oatmeal warmed our stomachs before venturing out into the frigid autumn air for some exercise. Please note, my oatmeal was in the Tigger mug!!

After a good workout, we went to Barnes and Noble for some "couple's" time and reading over a cup of hot coffee!! (and Andrew had a blueberry muffin...I had a piece of the sugary top!)

I wanted to buy so many books!  Especially this book!!! Flipping through the pages prompted the need to cook a good vegan soup for dinner...Butternut squash anyone?

Here's my recipe (created on the fly), but feel free to play around with the spices and ratios to find the recipe you like best:

• 2.5 lb butternut squash, washed, peeled, and cubed
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• good pinch of each whole black pepper corns, cloves, cumin, and coriander in a spice bag
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 c non-dairy milk
• 3 c vegetable broth
• Saute the onions, celery, and garlic in a medium sized pot.  Add broth, spices, cinnamon, and squash.  Simmer with the lid on for 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is very soft.  Transfer just the chunks of vegetables into a blender.  Puree, adding milk and/or broth from the soup until your desired consistency is reached.
• Pour into bowls and garnish with roasted squash seeds!

This is quite possibly the BEST soup I have ever had!!  Ask Andrew, I couldn't stop talking about it; he called me crazy, but I just think I am in love.  As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I need this shirt...

Beyond pumpkin, I love all forms of squash summer and winter varieties.  I had never made this soup before but seriously wanted to give it a try because I'd had something similar in my past and loved it.  Besides making the perfectly creamy luscious soup that it becomes without adding cream, butternut squash has many health benefits as well:

Butternut Squash, Raw
Butternut squash, baked, without salt

What's you're favorite soup?
Luana ola!