Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 medium butternut squash
Squash seeds
6 medium carrots
1 medium onion
4 cup water, divided
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the butternut squash in half. Scoop out the seeds, but save them. Place the squash halves face-down on a baking sheet covered in foil and oiled. Sprinkle the squash seeds on the baking sheet to roast as a garnish for the soup. Set aside.

Peel and chop the carrots into thirds. Chop the onions into a few pieces. Place the carrot and onion pieces alongside the squash on the baking sheet. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Remove the squash seeds, carrots and onion after about 30 minutes. Set the seeds aside separately, and set aside the carrots and onions. Continue baking the squash for another 30 minutes until the squash is soft enough to scoop from the skin.

Place the squash into a bowl and mash. Discard the shell.

Add half the butternut mash and half of the carrots and onions into a blender and blend on high. Add two cups of water and the pepper, paprika, garlic powder and cumin. Blend until smooth. Pour into a soup pot. Repeat the blending process with the remaining squash, carrots, onion and 2 cups of water. Add to the soup pot, combine blended portions. Stir and heat up before serving. Top with roasted squash seeds for crunch and flavor.