Ⓥ Vegan Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 butternut squash, about 3 lbs, peeled, seeds scooped, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped (could use red or orange too)
• 3 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2-3 bulbs of garlic, tops cut off
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp rosemary
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 4 cups of veggie broth
• FOR THE CASHEW CREAM:

• 1 cup of cashews, soak in warm water for at least 10 minutes
• 1 cup of hot water, to soak cashews
• 2 tbsp Nutrional yeast
• 1 tsp light yellow miso paste
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper, silicone baking mats or lightly sprayed with cooking oil. Soak the cashews in hot water & set them aside.
• Cut up the veggies into similar sizes & add them to the sheet pan. I like to use the pressure cooker to cook the butternut squash first, but you can skip this step. Add about 1-2 tbsp of olive oil plus the seasonings (garlic powder, onion, powder, oregano, rosemary, thyme, salt & pepper) to the veggies & toss to coat.
• In the middle of the pan make a space to roast the garlic. On a square piece of foil, cut the tops off of the bulbs of garlic, sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper & seal the foil adding the packet to the center of the sheet pan. Roast it for 35-40 minutes or until the veggies are tender when poked with a fork or knife.
• While the veggies are roasting, make the cashew cream. Drain cashews & add them to a blender with a cup of hot water, Nutritional yeast, miso paste, lemon juice & water & blend until smooth.
• When the veggies come out of the oven, carefully open the packet of garlic & let it begin to cool. Using a large pan, slow cooker or Instapot, combine the veggie broth, cashew cream, roasted veggies & squeeze the cloves out of the roasted garlic.
• Carefully use an emulsion blender to blend until smooth. Make sure the blender is pressed all the way down to the bottom of the pan so there are no splashes or burns.
• Heat, mix & devour. Serve it hot, store it in the fridge for a few days or freeze it for a few months.
• Optional garnishes, fresh basil, vegan parmesan cheese shreds.