Golden Harvest Soup

Like rays of golden sunshine in a bowl - perfect on a cool Fall day

Prep & Cooking: 1 hour to roast vegetables, 20 minutes to finish the soup
Serves: 6-8

Main Ingredients:
1 acorn squash – this is the dark green variety that is shaped, you guessed it…like an acorn (seen photo below)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
1 large orange carrot, diced into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, small dice
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or 1-1 ½ tsp powdered garlic powder
4 tbsp olive oil
3 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp ground turmeric
½ tsp yellow curry powder (optional)
¼ tsp cumin
Additional cumin, curry or turmeric and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for garnish (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the stringy flesh and seeds using a metal spoon. Score the flesh; cutting ¼ - ½ inch deep depending on the thickness of the squash. You do not want to cut all the way through. Drizzle both sides with 1 tbsp of olive oil and add salt and pepper to season. Place squash, cut side up on a prepared baking sheet or in a shallow baking dish.

Cut carrot and sweet potatoes into 1 inch pieces and drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Toss cut vegetables to coat and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the carrots and sweet potatoes to a prepared baking sheet or shallow baking dish and spread in a single layer. If you have a large enough tray or dish you may be able to fit all of the vegetables in together. Roast carrots, sweet potatoes and squash for 45-60 minutes, stirring the carrots and potatoes and turning the squash dish or pan (not the actual squash) at the halfway mark. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the cooked flesh and set aside.

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté chopped onion and garlic in 1 tbsp of oil until translucent; about 5 minutes. Add squash, carrots, and potatoes to the pot and cover with 3 cups of vegetable stock. Bring contents to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to medium. Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes until all vegetable are soft enough to slice easily with a fork or knife.

Remove the soup from the heat and blend. You can do this using a hand-held immersion blender or using a traditional blender. Blend until smooth and no lumps remain. When the soup is blended, return to the pot and add turmeric, cumin, salt & pepper, and curry (optional). Warm through over medium heat.
Garnish by sprinkling with additional cumin, curry or turmeric and toasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

This soup keeps in a sealed container for up to a week in the refrigerator or for several months in the freezer.