This beautiful, unique recipe was inspired while I considered about how to balance certain aspects of our prakriti (nature) in order to stay well in our current environment.

Read: winter is coming!

A previously published version of this recipe included the addition of a Sattvic ingredient that classifies as a dairy product: butter. If you are a strict vegan, or lactose intolerant, I recommend substituting rice bran oil—it has a slightly nutty flavor that excellently complements the squash and the fresh sage.

Butternut Squash & Sage Soup

Perfect for all three ayurvedic doshas (body energies): Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

Ingredients: 

1 butternut squash, roasted & cut into cubes
Fresh sage, 3-4 sprigs
Sesame oil* (1/2 Tbsp. to frizzle sage)
Oat milk (1/4 cup or to taste)

*Acceptable alternatives include olive or rice bran oil

Garnish:

Roasted Walnut Crumbles
Toasted sage
Fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. After preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, begin halving the squash and removing the seeds (save them to plant or roast!), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Lightly drizzle a little sesame oil over the inside of the squash, and place face-down on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until soft. Remove and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Once cooled, scoop the squash out of its skin and place into a large crock if using an immersion blender, if you are using a stand-alone blender such as a Nutribullet or Vitamix, spoon the squash into the blender, add oat milk slowly and pulse until smooth. Set a burner to low heat and keep the soup warm while making the toasted sage and roasted walnuts.

4. While the oven is still warm, place a handful of raw walnuts on a baking sheet and lightly roast for 5 to 10 minutes. Continually stir the soup and add more oat milk if desired.

5. In a frying pan, begin warming the sesame oil over medium heat. Gently place the sage leaves in once the oil is warm to a hovering hand, and lightly toast each side for about a minute. Remove the frizzled sage and set aside on a small plate lined with a cloth napkin (dark-colored, if possible, to avoid any stains.) Remove walnuts from the oven and let cool.

6. Ladle your desired amount of soup into a bowl, top with a few crumbled walnuts, sage leaves, and a generous amount of fresh ground black pepper to support the cleansing and detoxifying aspects of the warming and healing soup. Savor in good health!