Whole30 Moroccan Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with tin foil.

Cut squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Place it cut side up on the baking sheet. Try to make sure that the cut sides stay facing straight up, and the squash doesn’t fall onto its side.

Chop the onion in half lengthwise. Slice off one of the ends so that you loosen the papery outside coating, and peel it off. Do not cut the other end of the onion off, or it won’t hold together. Place it cut-side up on the baking sheet.

Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut oil over each squash half and rub in. Then drizzle 1/2 teaspoon oil over each onion half and rub in.

In a small bowl, combine cumin, cinnamon, salt, smoked paprika and allspice. Divide evenly between both halves of the squash and onion, rubbing in gently. Make sure you get all the spice mixture on the vegetables.

Place two layers of tin foil on top of each other (shiny side in!). Cut the top of the garlic head off and place it in the center of the tinfoil. Drizzle remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil on the garlic, rub it in and then fold the tinfoil around it to create a packet. Place onto the baking sheet.

Bake until the squash and onion are fork tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.

While vegetables roast, place vegetable broth and chopped dates into a medium pot and bring to a boil on high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until dates are very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until vegetables are done roasting.

Scrape the flesh of the roasted squash into a high-powered blender (don’t get the skin in there) and then add the whole onion. Peel the tinfoil off the garlic head and squeeze the softened garlic out of the cloves into the blender as well. Add ginger, along with the softened dates and vegetable broth into the blender. Blend until smooth and and creamy, scraping down the sides as necessary. Taste and adjust ginger and salt if necessary.

Pour into bowls, garnish with cilantro and pepitas and devour.

Note: I really like ginger, and so does Mr. FFF. We thought 2 teaspoons was perfect, but a few of this co-workers thought it was just a touch strong. I suggest adding 1 1/2 teaspoons, tasting and adding more if needed.