This recipe is my own, but the preparation I totally lifted from someone else, so I feel like I should share that – I made this Slow Cooker Blissful Butternut Squash Soup recipe from skinnytaste.com one time, and it was so easy, I decided to never make squash soup any other way – I mean, you don’t have to peel, or cut, or cube or anything.  So simple.  That recipe is delicious too.

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash, halved, seeds removed

2 large apples, cored, cut into 4-6 pieces each

2 shallots, quartered

2 c of broth (veggie or chicken)

3/4 c of reduced fat coconut milk (like this one from Trader Joe’s)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 package or 5 links of Chicken and apple sausage of the fully cooked variety – I use this one from Trader Joe’s, diced

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Place squash, apples, shallots and 2 cups of broth in slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 (right, like I’d ever remember to turn on my crockpot 8+ hours before dinner)

When squash is softened and cooked through, remove it from the crockpot, allow to cool, and remove flesh from skin.  Discard skin and return flesh to crockpot.  Add coconut milk, cinnamon and cayenne.

Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add sausage, and cook 20-30 minutes, or until it is heated through.

Serving Suggestion:

I love this soup with some blue cheese or feta crumbles mixed in.