“Squash” the Cold Soup (with Butternut Squash and Leek)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Using a fork, puncture holes along outside of squash.
3. Bake squash until tender, about 40 minutes.
4. Cool squash, cut and remove seeds.
5. Cut dark green part of leek off and discard, thinly slice white part.
6. Place leek slices in a frying pan with olive oil, sauté on low-medium setting until soft and slightly browned.
7. Once leeks are done, remove from pan, add apple chunks. Stir apple until it starts to brown and soften.
8. Scrape the flesh out of butternut squash and place into a blender with vegetable broth (use more broth if you prefer a thinner soup).
9. Add apple chunks and blend until smooth.
10. Pour contents of blender and leeks in a large pot, simmer on low heat.
11. Add salt, ground pepper, sage, thyme, cinnamon.
12. Continue to simmer for about 30 minutes.

Suggested pairings:

Top with pumpkin seeds (mine are coated in a pumpkin spice seasoning)!