I believe part of daily healing is to move with nature. Cooking seasonal Mediterranean foods has always been an integral part of my life. Even in an era where I was in the corporate world of fiber optics engineering, I loved coming home and making something wholesome in my simple kitchen. It has a solid cutting board, which I love seeing age and my sharp Global knives. Mediterranean cooking often emphasizes the ritual of preparation. My Global knives are part of my hands in the kitchen, it’s reliability allows me to focus on the joy of rhythm, bringing my ingredients to the next level. This Autumn rustic soup is simply bringing together with minimal preparation and celebrating nature’s abundance.

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut or kabocha squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 large leek, sliced in length(white and light green parts only)
• 1 large sweet potato, cut in length 
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in two
• 1-2 apples (e.g., Honeycrisp or Fuji), cut in two and cored
• 1 head of garlic, top trimmed to expose cloves
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt 
• 1 TBS of cumin
• 2 TBS of coriander powd
• 32 ounce  vegetable broth

Garnish :

• 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper 
• Fresh mint leaves 
• Pomegranate seeds 
• Yogurt 

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. On a large baking sheet, spread out the squash, leeks, sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, and apple chunks. Place the garlic head (unpeeled) alongside the vegetables.
3. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables and garlic, and season with salt and spices. Tto Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized. Check halfway through and stir to ensure even roasting.
4. Blend the Soup:
   • Remove the garlic from the oven and let it cool slightly. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and set aside.
   • Transfer the roasted vegetables and garlic into the blender and add the broth. 
   • Blend until smooth and creamy.  

Heat the soup over medium heat, adjusting seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.

5.  Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with table spoon of Greek yogurt, Fresh Pomegranate seeds, Aleppo pepper for some heat, and fresh mint leaves.