Yummy Fall Soup

It's October so today I made soup! Hoooray for soup!  Roasted Acorn Squash, Yam, Carrot and Coconut Milk Soup Topped with Crunchy Sage Pita Croutons and Toasted Cinnamon Cayenne Walnuts. This one is especially nice and easy - no uniform cutting, all-day-long stewing  or  complicated braising techniques. Plus it's just about the fall-iest soup around. The color is an attractive and bright autumn leaf yellow/orange. The soup is naturally sweet with a  hint of added spice that complements the rich flavor. It's thick, hot, and savory - all the words that define comfort food and the US men's swim team. In addition to being DELICIOUS, it is vegetarian, vegan, gluten and lactose free (for the picky eaters out there).But even if you're not restricted by animal and diseasey things maybe YOU should make this soup! And instead of the pita and walnuts add some crispy bacon topped with bacon!  Leave out the coconut milk and use heavy cream and creme fraiche! And forget the veggie stock, use chicken stock! Then comment about how awesome and deliciously fattening it all was and rub it in my stupid vegan face. Just kidding. Really. I mean, this vegan thing isn't that bad...

 Grocery List:

1. 1 medium onion (white or yellow) - chopped
2. 2 garlic cloves - chopped
3.  1 red apple - skinned and chopped
4. 4 carrots - skinned and chopped
5. 1/2 sweet potato - skinned and chopped
   
6. 1 acorn or butternut squash - deseeded, skinned and chopped
7. 2 tbs. of fresh ginger - minced
8. 1 tsp. ground Allspice
9. 1 tsp. ground sage
10. 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
11. 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
    
12. 1/2 tsp. of dried parsley
13. 1 carton of Vegetable broth
14. 1/2 can of coconut milk plus a few teaspoons for drizzling
15. 4 tbs. olive oil
16. chili oil for drizzling

 Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and remove the innards. Cut the halves into 5 wedges and use a peeler to remove the outside rinds from each slice and chop.
  Clean and chop the remaining vegetables. Throw them into a roasting pan and drizzle the veggie mixture with 3 tbs. of olive oil. Mix, mix, mix - evenly coating all the vegetables with oil.
 

Bake the vegetables for about 20 minutes or until they are soft. Turn your oven to broil and get a nice roasted brown coloring on your veggies.

 Chop up your garlic, onion, ginger and apple.

 In a cast iron or soup pot heat 1 tbs. of olive oil with your chopped onion over low heat. Sweat the onions for about 5 minutes or until they are soft.
Add in the garlic and ginger. Sauté the mixture for 2 minutes or so.

Now add the apples and continue to sauté over low heat for another 2 minutes or so.

 Stir in the carton of vegetable broth and simmer on low for at least 20 minutes.

 Pour the contents of the soup pot into a blender or food processor. Careful it's hot!

 Then add about half of your roasted vegetable mixture.
 Pulse then puree the mixture until smooth. Be careful! Don't use a tight lid on your blender! Allow it to breathe a bit while pureeing. If the lid is too tight the hot soup may blow up in your face. Not cool. Add a 1/2 can coconut milk and the rest of the vegetables. Add the Allspice and salt to taste. Puree again until smooth.

  Transfer the soup back to the pot and simmer on low until you're ready to eat.

 Hand shred a pita into small crouton-like bits. Drizzle the bits with olive oil  and sage then broil until  the pits pieces are crispy.
Toast walnuts in a pan over medium heat with cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Chop the walnuts and mix with salt, pepper and parsley.
Ladle your soup into a bowl. Drizzle with coconut milk and chili oil. Top with the pita croutons and chopped walnut mixture, then snuggle up and enjoy!