Roasted Butternut Squash + Apple Soup
We're in the full swing of autumn and I'm taking every chance I get to make and eat soup. I love soups of all kinds, shapes, and sizes and will put just about anything into a pot with some vegetable broth. One of my favorite cozy fall soups right now is this super easy Roasted Butternut Squash + Apple Soup. It packs a ton of flavor into a ridiculously easy recipe, and is such a great way to throw some beta carotene-rich butternut squash into your diet! We like to use tart green apples, but you can use whatever apples you have on hand. We also like to blend the soup to an ultra velvety texture in our blender, but keeping some chunks in it is great if that's your style, too. It tastes great paired with naan or crusty bread and a sprinkle of toasted pepitas and nutmeg. Make a batch for dinner tonight or pour it into a thermos and take it for lunch at work all week long. Let's get cooking!
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon coconut oil 1 - 3 lb. butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1 inch cubes 1 tablespoon coconut oil 2 small yellow onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 medium carrots, sliced 2 celery stalks, sliced 2 tart green apples (any apples work though), cored and chopped 4 cups vegetable broth or water 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper pinch of nutmeg toasted pepitas, garnish (optional) sprinkle of nutmeg, garnish (optional) DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut butternut squash into 1 inch cubes and place on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon coconut oil and a sprinkle of salt + pepper and bake for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Set aside to cool. While squash roasts, heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Sauté onions and garlic about 5 minutes, until they because fragrant and softened. Toss in carrots and celery and sauté together with the garlic and onions another 2-3 minutes. Toss in apples, vegetable broth and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, toss in roasted squash, and blend using an immersion blender or (for extra creamy soup) a high-speed blender. Blend in batches, if needed. Pour blended soup back into the pot and serve immediately with toasted pepitas and a sprinkle of nutmeg for garnish. Saves well in the fridge for about a week, and freezes indefinitely. Enjoy! NOTES Don't have butternut squash? Substitute any type of squash you like, or use sweet potatoes! 
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Fall Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Golden Berries
I love fall for the weather, changing colors (okay not so much now that I'm living in California), and delicious, sweet, pumpkin-y baked goods. Which is also the problem...a girl can only eat so many of those baked goods before your belly is like WHOA GIRL and you just need to eat something a little healthier, a little lighter. We're trying to balance our Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie and Pumpkin Zucchini Bread intake with this savory, flavorful salad. It'll wake your tastebuds up and remind you that healthier dishes can taste pretty damn good, too! It's a great dish for detoxing the crap that has accumulated in your system all month and because quinoa is a complete protein, it'll keep you full longer than you'd expect. This salad has a great mix of sweet (golden berries, roasted butternut squash) and savory (celery, onions, parsley) that makes it a real crowd pleaser. We love using Essential Living Foods Golden Berries in this salad 'cause they keep their foods completely raw, organic, and full of superfood goodness...and they taste amazing! (We're huge fans, and you can check out their complete line of superfoods for yourself here.) It's perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish or a packed-lunch for the week, and we just know you're gonna love it so let's EAT!
INGREDIENTS
3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes 2 cups water 1 cup rainbow (or really any kind) quinoa 1/3 cup celery, sliced thinly 1/3 cup red onions, diced 1/3 cup golden berries, roughly chopped 1/3 cup sliced almonds 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon champagne or apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 1 teaspoon maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel and cut butternut squash into 1/4 cubes and place on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt + pepper and bake about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. While squash bakes, place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, then cover with a lid and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Prepare celery, red onions, golden berries, sliced almonds, and fresh parsley and place it into a large bowl. Set aside. In another small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, dijon, maple syrup, salt and pepper. When squash and quinoa have finished cooking and cooled, pour the quinoa and roasted butternut squash into the large bowl of veggies and gently toss with a wooden spoon. Drizzle the vinaigrette mixture over the salad and toss again to combine. Serve immediately or save in the fridge up to 3 days in an airtight container. Serves 6-8. Enjoy! NOTES If you don't have/ don't like golden berries or almonds or any other ingredient, sub it out for something you LOVE! This salad is super customizable and you should totally take advantage of that based on your preferences and what you have in the pantry.
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