Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

2 large or 3 small Butternut squash
1/2 can full fat coconut milk
1.5 cups gluten-free chicken broth
1- “1/4-inch-thick” slice of yellow onion
2 tsp Celtic sea salt (saltier than pink/ Himalayan)
1-2 inch piece fresh ginger (peeled)
2-4 garlic cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
15 basil leaves
Optional: 2-4 spoonfuls coconut oil ​(for added nutrition; I add coconut oil to anything I can)

GARNISH (optional):
Pine nuts or pumpkin seeds
Olive Oil
Cinnamon

4 OPTIONS FOR THE SQUASH:
1. RAW: healthiest & fastest option. Buy peeled, organic butternut squash (fresh or frozen) OR cut the peeling off of your fresh, whole butternut squash. I use all of the seeds and squash meat in my soup. Maximize the nutrition :) 

2. STOVETOP: Cut butternut squash in half and cook in a pan with lid, open side down, covering the bottom of the pan with water. Cook 10-15 min or until tender. Less cooking is better for nutritional value.

3. BAKE: You can also bake your squash at 400 open side down in a pan with 1/4 inch of water for approx. 25min.

4. CROCK POT: Halve your squash and place open side down in the CROCK POT with 1 inch of water, 4 hours max, on low. It's ok to have 2 layers of squash in your crock. 

Scoop your cooked squash, seeds and all, out of the shells OR simply add your raw squash meat to a high power blender with all the other ingredients. Blend on high until you have a smoothe consistency. If you have a Vitamix, continue blending until your soup is hot. If you don’t have a blender that can “cook” your soup, simply pour the soup puree into a pot after blending and heat to desired temperature. Again, only cook as much as is necessary, but learn to cook less and preserve the nutritional value of your foods. 

GARNISH: 
Drizzle tiny bit of olive oil in a glass pan or cookie sheet. Add pine nuts/pumpkin seeds and toss in oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon and toss around in oil again. Bake/toast until browned or slightly crisp, about 15-20 min. Get this started while you make the soup. It will finish about the same time.
 

Garnish with toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds (fresh basil leaves optional) and serve!
​ Yummy Yum!