18th November 2016: The 7 yo has a Friday tradition – he bikes back home from the bus stop. His father works from home on Fridays, so he ‘walks’ the bike to the bus stop at school drop off time. He biked around for a good 45 minutes before he came home and we walked, taking in the smells and whatever remained of the fall colors. It was such a gorgeous day today. Perhaps the last good day before the wintry rain rolls in tomorrow. So tomorrow definitely calls for bowlfuls of hot soup – this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, to be precise. 

I was thrilled when I saw Wholefoods selling butternut squash, already halved and the insides scooped out. I usually stayed away from butternut squash since it was a pain to cut it, given the strength of right arm (weakened by the combination of tennis elbow and shoulder spasm). I scooped up a half right away! It was the perfect size for my family. 

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Place the butternut squash on a greased cookie sheet and season it with salt, freshly cracked black pepper and hit it with some garlic powder. Brush it with some melted butter and drizzle some olive oil for good measure. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes till tender.

Take it out of the oven and scoop out the flesh while it is still warm.

Heat 1 tsp oil and fry the garlic in it till fragrant. Add the butternut squash mush and cook it, while breaking it down with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock and check it for seasoning. Use a handheld blender or your regular blender to blend it into a soupy mush. Serve in bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Options: Spice it up with cumin powder & paprika if you want to or use herbs like rosemary or sage t make it more flavorful.