Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

I had this one massive butternut squash from my garden this year, it was really too big for the two of us. It weighed over 7 pounds ! I had a brew date scheduled with my Bitches Brew Crew, and since it was October, I thought putting a nice pot of soup on probably wasn't a bad idea, as we brew outside at my house. 

I have made lentil sweet potato soup before, so I didn't think it would be a big stretch to make something similar with butternut squash. This squash was so big, I was worried about how to cut it up, so I actually precooked it a bit in the microwave, to make it easier to cut into chunks. The soup was velvety, creamy and spicy, perfect for a fall day. 

Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup 

1 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed 

1 large yellow onion, diced 

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups water, divided 

1 tablespoon coriander 

1 tablespoon cumin 

1 tablespoon salt 

1 tablespoon pepper 

1 large or 2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1 inch cubes 

In a large sauce pan, combine lentils,4 cups water, garlic and onions. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until lentils are tender, 30-40 minutes. Place lentils, spices and squash in a crockpot, cover with 2 cups water. Set crock put to low and cook 6-8 hours, until squash is tender (add more water if necessary). Use immersion blender to blend until smooth.