Roasted Squash Soup with Nut Cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

2. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place on a baking sheet (cut-side down) and bake 30-40 minutes until tender. 

3. While the squash is roasting, prepare the nut cream. I make this in a Vita-Mix and it turns out beautifully. Add the nuts to your blender with 1/2 cup of the veggie broth. Pulse slowly to mix. Once mixed, add the other 1/2 cup of broth and let the blender run until it's very smooth and creamy. Set cream aside. Note: a Vita-Mix will definitely be able to make a completely smooth nut cream but don't worry if you're using a blender. If your nut cream isn't completely smooth, just strain before adding it to the soup. 

4. Once the squash is tender, remove squash from skin and transfer it into a large soup pot. Break into small pieces with a spoon and add the 4 cups of vegetable broth as well as the sage, thyme, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes, covered. 

5. Transfer the squash soup to the blender. Be careful not to fill the blender to the top as the liquid will be very hot. You may need to work in batches. Place a cover over the top of the blender to protect you from the heat and blend the soup until very smooth. 

6. Place the blended soup back into the pot and stir in all but 1/4 cup of the nut cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

7. Serve soup in bowls. Drizzle the remaining nut cream and garnish with parsley.