Vegan Butternut Squash Soup

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Chop the tip and tail off the butternut squash and scoop out the seeds and innards.
2. Drizzle olive oil or avocado oil over the flesh and sprinkle with sea salt and a dash of cinnamon.
3. Place both halves face-down on a baking sheet and roast on the center rack of the oven for 40-50 minutes or until the flesh is very soft when poked with a fork.
4. In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil while the butternut squash is roasting. Add the sliced onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is browned, about 10 minutes.
5. When the roasted butternut squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the skin. Place the flesh in a blender. Add the onions, coconut milk and maple syrup to the blender and blend until completely smooth. Transfer the soup to a saucepan and heat it, stirring frequently, until hot.

Make the Crispy Fried Sage (Optional):

1. Heat the avocado oil to medium-high in a small skillet. Carefully place the sage leaves flat on the surface of the oil when the oil is hot. Cook 20-30 seconds, flip, and cook another 10-20 seconds. Use a fork to carefully transfer the fried sage leaves to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with sea salt.
2. Serve butternut squash bisque with fried sage leaves and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.