Autumn Equinox Eats: Vegan Butternut Squash (and Apple) Soup

It's that time of year...there's a chill in that autumnal air, and soup season has definitely begun!

For today's Autumn Equinox VeganMofo entry I'm revamping an entry for my all-time favorite soup: butternut squash.

I've always loved butternut squash soup (who wouldn't, I ask?). A few years ago, however, I was introduced to a new type of butternut squash soup at a Thanksgiving meal with my husband's family when my mother-in-law brought butternut squash soup with green apple. If you've ever tried it before, you know how amazing that extra tart note is in this dish. It balances the sweetness of the squash perfectly!

If you've never had the pleasure of delving into a bowl of butternut squash-apple goodness, it is something that must be tried to be fully understood.

This recipe is adapted from Simply Recipes.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
What You'll Need:
2 tbsp margarine (I recommend Earth Balance)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 butternut squash (about 20 oz), peeled and chopped (or you can buy some pre-chopped and peeled squash--much easier!)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup apple cider*
pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon and cayenne, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
chives, optional
vegan sour cream (or cashew or coconut cream), optional

What You'll Need to Do:
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot, then add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the broth and apple cider, along with the butternut squash and apple. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes, until the squash and carrots have softened. Once everything has softened, puree in your blender in batches (be sure to release the steam if your blender does not do that for you!), or with an immersion blender. Mix in your nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper, to taste. Top with some vegan cream, if using.

Tips and Tricks:
I like to pair this with some sourdough toast and roasted broccoli. I'd also recommend adding a cashew or coconut cream swirl on top--or some vegan sour cream.

*I love adding apple cider to this soup! It kicks up the apple quotient just a bit and it's delicious. In a pinch, however, water will do fine as well.