All of the Goodness of Fall in a Bowl

Recipe courtesy of Daisy Fuentes Dronen. Be sure to check out her post on Continual Gratitude during and after Thanksgiving. — Recipe courtesy of **Daisy Fuentes Dronen**. Be sure to check out her post on Continual Gratitude during and after Thanksgiving.

Just the Recipe | 4-6 Serving

Ingredients

2 Strips of Bacon

1-2 TBS of Olive Oil or Ghee*

1/2 Shallot, Chopped

1 Onion, Chopped

2 Cloves of Garlic, Coarsely Chopped

5 Carrots, Peeled and Cubed

1 Green Apple, Peeled, Cored and Cubed

1 Butternut Squash, Peeled, Seeded and Cubed

1 Can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes

1 Can of Whole Fat, Unsweetened Coconut Milk

2 Cups of Chicken Broth

1/2 Cup of Boiling Water

Spices

1/2 tsp Oregano

1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/4 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds

1/2 tsp Coarse Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 Bay Leaf

For Serving

Shaved Parmesan, Manchego, or Your Favorite Cheese

Pumpkin Seeds

Crusty bread and Your Favorite Salted Butter

*Ghee is a clarified butter that you can find almost in any store now. I love to sauté and roast with it but you can also substitute butter or olive oil.

Steps

Begin by gathering all the ingredients to your work space and prepping the vegetables.
Even as your are chopping and prepping, heat a large pot on medium heat and cook the two slices of bacon. Let the bacon get crispy but be careful it doesn’t burn. When the bacon is cooked to your liking remove it and set it aside, it will crisp up even more as it cools.
Add the tablespoon of olive oil or ghee to the pot. Then add your shallot and onion and let it cook, about 5 minutes, until it becomes translucent and smells divine.
Add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic brown too much or it may turn bitter.
Add the cubed vegetables, carrots, squash, and apple. At this point you may need to add more olive oil or ghee* depending on how big your butternut squash is. As they sauté add the spices and let it all sauté for 15 minutes.
When the vegetables start to soften add the can of fire roasted tomatoes. Pour the half cup of boiling water in the empty tomato can to get all the sauce out, then pour it into the pot. Add the bayleaf and the two cups of chicken broth and let it simmer on medium for 20-25 minutes until all the vegetables are soft. Do not let all of the water boil down. It should have lots of broth.
Heat up the oven and prepare the bread you want to serve. Cut up the crispy bacon and put in a bowl, set out a bowl of the cheese, and a bowl pumpkin seeds.
When the vegetables are very tender, taste it, you may need to add more salt and pepper. Add the can of coconut milk and let it simmer for a few more minutes, maybe 4 or 5. Remove the bayleaf and transfer the soup to the blender, blend it until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender for this step.

Serve immediately with warm crusty bread topping the soup with bacon, cheese, and pumpkin seeds. Enjoy with friends or family.

Making this recipe should feel very comfortable and organic for you.

Do not hesitate to add more of any of the spices to make it to your taste.

#Kitchen Acumen Tips:

When I don’t have oregano I substitute Herbs de Provence instead - you will love this herb blend!
You don’t have to use bacon if you want to keep this recipe vegetarian.
This soup tastes even better when shared with friends.
If making for Thanksgiving, you can easily make this up to 5 day in advance. The flavors will be even better when reheated. If you have guests at your house all day on Thanksgiving and are eating around dinner, you could reheat this and keep it warm in a soup sized slow cooker as a lunch option. Setting up a soup and bread bar with bowls, spoons, and soup toppings allows your guests to help themselves when they are hungry.