It wasn’t until my latest CSA pickup that I finally embraced fall. There were still remnants of summer in the haul, such as eggplant and peppers. However, it was also very fall-friendly in that it featured apples, butternut squash, and cabbage. I was very much inspired by the aforementioned ingredients, allowing me to let go of summer at last.

When I hear the words “butternut squash,” I automatically dream of delectable soup, and with it I made just that. While I love butternut squash soup, I enjoy it significantly more if there is an element of texture in the mix. As such, I added CSA cabbage and swiss chard, as well as cannellini beans. Further, I love adding spice to all things squash because it contributes warmth and intense depth of flavor. To this particular soup, I added chipotle pepper. All of the components that I mentioned made for an extremely delicious fall soup. Although it is filling, you can feel good about eating it as it is both vegan and gluten-free.

Note: Recipe yields four servings.

What you’ll need:

• 2 small or 1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded
• Coconut oil spray
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup non-dairy creamer (I used Calfia’s half almond milk/half coconut milk, which I adore!)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. grape seed oil
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, de-stemmed and chopped
• 1 cup cabbage, chopped
• 1 can cannellini beans, drained
• 1/2 tsp. finely ground Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground chipotle pepper

What you’ll do:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F; meanwhile; place the prepped butternut squash onto a baking sheet, face up; generously spray with coconut oil
• Bake in the oven for 1 hour; once 1 hour has elapsed, scoop the flesh into a blender
• Add the broth, creamer, and garlic cloves to a blender; blend until smooth and set aside
• Next, add the grape seed oil to a large pot and warm over medium-low heat for approximately 2 minutes
• Once 2 minutes have elapsed, add the Swiss chard and cabbage; sautée for approximately 5 minutes, or until tender
• Add the butternut squash mixture to the pot, along with the Himalayan salt and chipotle pepper; allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes
• Finally, add the cannellini beans and allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes