Cozy Fall Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

1. Sauté the Butternut Squash: In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the cubed butternut squash and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until softened. Keep the pot covered to trap heat and ensure even cooking.

2. Add the Aromatics: Toss in the chopped onions, crushed garlic, and spices (salt, sage, nutmeg, paprika, pepper, and ginger). Cook for another 8 minutes, allowing the onions to soften and the spices to become fragrant.

3. Add Apples and Stock: Add the cubed apples and chicken stock, then bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes, or until everything is tender and easily pierced with a fork.

4. Blend Until Creamy: Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it’s velvety smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup in batches to a high-speed blender. Once blended, stir in the heavy cream for added richness.

5. Serve and Garnish: Serve the soup warm with a drizzle of heavy cream. For extra texture and flavor, top it with crispy fried sage leaves and crunchy dried apple chips.