Red Curry Coconut Squash Soup

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   Cut the squash into cubes. (Cutting and peeling squash is a royal pain, but it's all worth it in the end. I highly suggest keeping the squash seeds when cleaning out the squash-they make a great garnish! I wasn't sure how that was going to turn out; it was one of those random and crazy Dana ideas -and those don't always work out!-but I'm really stoked that this idea was a winner.)

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   In a soup pot, melt down the butter and coconut oil on medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for about 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, roasted peppers, red curry paste, and squash.

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   Mix thoroughly, and cook for approximately 5-7 minutes. Add extra butter if the pot dries up, to avoid burning any of the veggies.

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   Add the coconut milk and skim milk, and bring to a boil. Once the soup comes to a rolling boil, bring the heat down to a simmer and let the soup simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring often. Once the squash is cooked through and soft (you can test this with a fork), turn off the heat.

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   Transfer portions of the soup/veggies to a blender or food processor and puree. You will likely want to do this in batches to avoid an overflowing processor. Just have a big bowl nearby and empty the puree into the big bowl as you go. I did mine in three batches.

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   Serve as is, or with the optional garnishes.

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   Notes:

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   1. The fall weather always serves as inspiration for soup, especially butternut squash soups. I really wanted to put a spin on the typical squash soup this time, though. I'm really glad I did!

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   2. To prepare the squash seeds, give them a good rinse. Then, in a small pot filled with just enough salted water to cover the seeds, bring them to a boil for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and pat dry. Toss in a small splash of olive oil and sea salt, and then roast at approximately 325u00b0F for 10 minutes or until they have a nice crunch.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.