Butternut Squash Soup (vegan, gluten-free)     Ingredients: water 1 butternut squash 1 1/2 cup apple juice 1 1/4 cup canned coconut milk 1/2 cup hazelnut milk 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg sprinkle allspice Cooking Instructions: Bake or microwave butternut squash till tender. If baking, break off stem, pierce skin, bake at 400 degrees for __ minutes or until tender to fork. If microwaving:  slice in half, scoop out seeds and scrape out stringy innards.  Wrap each half in plastic wrap and cook each for 8 minutes in the microwave with the sliced side down. Allow to cool a little.  Peel off skin and discard it.  If you have not already, remove seeds and stringy flesh.  Chop into chunks or slices and boil/steam with apple juice.  The squash and apple juice mixture is done when it mashes easily.  Mash, then cook by removing from stove and adding 3 ice cubes.  After ice cubes melt, blend squash mash in a food processor till smooth (may need to process in parts). This should yield approximately 2 quarts of squash puré. Put in a large pot and heat till simmering.  Stir in all other ingredients.  Turn off heat and serve. Serving Information: Makes 2 quarts Feeds 6 Notes: If you want to prepare this soup in advance, stop anywhere before adding the coconut milk and hazelnut milk.  Put the cooked squash (with or without apple juice) in the refridgerator or freezer.  When ready to serve, it should take only a few minutes to thaw, blend, heat.  Bring to a simmer and add all other ingredients before serving. This soup is best when fresh and not as good when reheated.  It is best to determine how much soup you want to make BEFORE adding the nut milks to the cooked apple juice and squash.     To email please see:  contact.cgi if you have any comments or questions about this page. Authored & created by Meryll Larkin:  11/24/05 Updated:  08/30/08