Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

This is an adaptation of a recipe that Shuaib recommended we cook at the first Team Grondul Thanksgiving. If you follow the link you'll see that the original called for butter and heavy cream...fine for a Thanksgiving treat, but not so great for everyday. I swapped the butter for olive oil and the cream for lite coconut milk to health it up...now it's a healthy fall treat! Yay!

Ingredients

• 4.5 Tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• About 2 lb. butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock (you could certainly use vegetable stock instead to make it vegetarian)
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 cups lite coconut milk
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the squash and stock, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Add the apples and nutmeg and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Using a food processor or a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the coconut milk, and season with salt and pepper. Warm gently as needed.