Oh My Gourd Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Directions

1. Thoroughly wash 1 leek under cool, running, drinkable water. Leeks are always very dirty—the best method for cleaning is to cut off the roots of the leeks, then slice lengthwise. Cut the white and green parts of the leek crosswise into half moons. Next, place the chopped leeks into a colander and rinse again, then add to a bowl and fill with cold water. With your hands, agitate the floating chopped leeks to dislodge any remaining dirt. Scoop the leeks out of the water and rinse through the colander again, now they are finally clean!

2. Thoroughly wash 1 butternut squash (including scrubbing the skin), 1 sweet potato, and ¼ teaspoon of fresh ginger under cool, running, drinkable water. Peel and chop butternut squash and sweet potato into bite-size pieces. Peel ginger with the back of a spoon, and finely chop.

3. In a medium pot over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and heat until shimmering. 

4. Add leeks and sauté until translucent and softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add butternut squash, sweet potato, ginger, and 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the potato and squash are soft.

5. While the soup is cooking, in a small skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of pine nuts and toast until golden for 1 minute, shaking often to prevent burning. Set aside to cool.

6. Uncover the soup. Stir in 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of ground coriander, and kosher salt to taste. Cook for another 3 minutes covered. Take the pot off the heat and allow the soup to cool a little bit. 

7. Transfer to a food processor or blend well using a hand-held immersion blender. Stir in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter for added creaminess and sheen. Top with a sprinkling of the toasted pine nuts and serve. Eat up, Mama!

8. Once cooled completely, pour leftover soup into silicone molds to freeze into pre-portioned blocks. Your future self will thank you kindly.