Thai Butternut Squash Soup

• ¼ c. olive oil
• ¼ c. shallots, chopped fine
• ⅛ c. grated ginger (Remember to peel and freeze fresh ginger; this small step makes it a snap to work with in any recipe!)
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. yellow curry powder
• ½ tsp. Thai 7 spice
• ½ tsp. ground coriander (Dry toast the whole coriander seed in a saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, then grind up in a mortar and pestle.)
• 2 lbs. peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2½ c. chicken stock (store-bought is fine)
• 1 tbsp. best brown sugar
• 1 400ml can of coconut milk

Edible Garnishes

• Popcorn
• Quinoa crunch (recipe below)
• Chopped fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add shallots and cook for 2 -3 minutes, remembering to stir, until the shallots are soft and translucent. Add the ginger, bay leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, curry powder, Thai spice, and ground coriander. Stir together until fragrant.
2. Add the chicken stock, stir together the stock and the spices mixture. Then add the cubed squash and the salt. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes until the squash can be easily pierced with a knife.
3. Remove the bay leaves and using either an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add the coconut milk and sugar and stir to combine.

*Freeze this soup before adding in the milk and sugar. Simply defrost the soup puree, warm and add in the last 2 ingredients!