Gingery Roasted Carrot and Squash Soup

Roasting carrots and butternut squash brings out their natural sweetness and adds a depth of flavour to this soup that is otherwise hard to come by.  It also warms up the house on a cold and dreary autumn day. Try garnishing your bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds, cashew cream (with or without the roasted garlic), and/or a drizzle of maple syrup.  In the photo above I garnished with chopped walnuts and a bit of full fat coconut milk.

• Preheat the oven to 400 and line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
• Scrub the carrots, trim off the tops, and chop into thick, uniform rounds.  (This will get pureed later so no need show off your knife skills.)  Peel and de-seed the butternut squash and chop into chunks roughly the size of your carrots.
• Toss the squash and carrots with 1 tablespoon of high-heat oil (coconut/grapeseed/canola) and spread evenly on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt.
• Roast the vegetables at 400 for 40 to 50 minutes, until they’re soft and brown on the edges.
• In the mean time, clean and chop your leeks (or onion) and grate your ginger.
• When the carrots have been in the oven for about 40/45 minutes, lightly brown the leeks in a large soup pot over medium heat with the 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.
• Add the roasted carrots, squash, and water or stock to the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are nice and soft – ready to puree.
• Add the orange juice, fresh ginger, and remaining ingredients.  Either puree with an immersion blender or blend in batches until smooth.
• Taste to adjust for seasoning and serve it up!  The spice measurements above are conservative, add more to suit your taste.