Spiced Squash, Sweet Potato and Orange Soup

Spaghetti squash is sometimes marketed as a healthier alternative to regular spaghetti, and lately, I’ve decided to give it a try.After roasting it, along with some butternut squash, I tried a bit of it with tomato sauce, and with basil pesto, and can’t say I was too impressed with it as an alternative to pasta.
As I still had a nice amount of it, along with the butternut squash, I decided to put both to use in the form of a soup. To give the soup more body and flavor, I used sautéed white onion, and sweet potato. I then flavored the mixture with fresh ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, orange zest and juice, and finished with a bit of soy sauce and honey. The soup turned out very tasty and aromatic, with a wonderful bright orange color.
While the soup can be served as is, I also served it once with a drizzle of olive oil, some black salt and raw pumpkin seeds, and, on another occasion, and with some light sesame oil and coconut milk. Both added wonderful flavors and aroma to the soup. Try it, in any way you choose to serve it, with some crusty fresh bread on the side, and enjoy

Makes: 8
Prep time: 30 minutes
Roasted time for the squash: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash
1 medium butternut squash
1 large white onion, roughly cut
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, roughly cut
Zest of ½ orange
Fresh juice of 1 large orange
4 cups vegetable stock
1 piece of fresh ginger, about 2” (5 cm)
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbs honey, preferably orange blossom
For serving (optional):
Raw pumpkin seeds, black salt, olive oil
Or light sesame oil and coconut milk

1. Preheat the oven to 425F (220C). Line a large flat pan with aluminum foil and baking paper. Cut the spaghetti squash and the butternut squash in half, and scrape out the seeds. Sprinkle with salt and place the spaghetti squash on the pan, cut side down. Cut the butternut squash into thick sections, place on the pan and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 40 minutes, turning halfway, until the butternut squash is golden and the spaghetti squash is soft. Let cool a bit, and remove the butternut squash skin. With a spoon, scrape out the flesh. Measure 2 cups of each.

2. Place the onion, salt and oil in a large pot and sauté, mixing occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the onion starts to soften. Add the sweet potato and orange zest, mix and cook for 2 minutes. Add the roasted squashes, and the rest of the ingredients. Mix and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low, and cook for about 25 minutes, until the sweet potato is soft. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

3. Blend the soup with a hand blender to a smooth consistency. Serve as is, or with the suggested garnishes.