Step 1

preheat your oven to 350 degrees. chop your acorn squash in half and scoop out the middle. brush avocado oil onto each half and sprinkle with salt and pepper. lie face down on a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 45 minutes

Step 2

when the acorn squash has about 5 minutes left, drain (but don't rinse) your can of diced tomatoes. set aside and add a small amount of oil to a large pot - once hot, add the minced garlic

Step 3

after a few minutes, add the diced tomatoes to your pot along with the coconut sugar, chopped basil leaves, and vegetable broth. keep covered and let simmer on a low heat. once the acorn squash is done and cool enough to touch, scoop the insides out and add to your pot.

Step 4

turn the heat off and wait a few minutes before using your immersion blender. once cool, blend soup until creamy. return pot to heat and keep covered. let cook for about 15 more minutes on a low heat.

Step 5

toppings are all optional, but I would recommend adding salt and pepper to serve.

Step 6

heat your butter on a large pan. spread a thin layer of the vegan cream cheese to both slices of bread then place both slices cream cheese side up on your pan. add a slice of vegan cheese on top of each slice

Step 7

after a few minutes, use a spatula to stack the bread. keep pan covered and cook until each side is nice and crispy and the cheese in the middle has melted. repeat steps for another sandwich!