I love an acorn squash and sweet potato soup.  I like it highly flavored, sometimes chunky, sometimes blended with a hand mixer to make a creamed soup. Here it’s chunky and I’ve added fresh thyme, rosemary and sage to give it a smoky flavor.  Made with vegetable broth, it’s vegan! 

Ingredients
1 whole acorn squash, about 16 oz, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, chopped
The white part of one leek, about a 3″ piece, cut into rings
1 large yellow onion, chopped (or 6 shallots)
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
1 stalk of fennel, with leaves, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
32 oz (4 cups) of vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
The leaves of 2 springs fresh thyme
1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

Directions
Heat the olive oil and add the raw chopped vegetables. Saute until they get golden and begin to caramelize, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and reduce the heat to medium-low and add the herbs. Let simmer 40 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.