Sweet Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• tablespoon solive oil
• medium butternut squash, halved and seeded
• medium sweet potato, halved
• clove sgarlic, minced
• leavesfresh sage, or to taste
• tablespoon maple syrup
• cup svegetable broth, divided
• bay leaves, or more to taste
• cinnamon stick
• tablespoon fresh thyme
• teaspoon salt
• ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Coat a baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Place butternut squash and sweet potato cut sides down on the baking sheet.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until easily pierced with a knife, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle.
4. While squash and potato are cooking, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and fresh sage and cook until garlic is browned and sage is crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove sage to a paper towel lined plate. Transfer garlic to a blender.
5. Scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash and potato using a spoon and transfer to the blender with garlic. Discard squash and potato skins. Add maple syrup and 1 cup vegetable broth to the blender and process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Strain through a sieve to remove any lumps and transfer into a large pot. Add remaining 3 cups vegetable broth, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, 1 tablespoon thyme, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with pepper and sprinkle with crushed sage leaves.