Ingredients
1 onion  
1 cup red lentils
1 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
1 butternut squash, or one can pumpkin puree
1 cup orange juice
Juice of one lemon, optional
2 teaspoon sugar, optional
Approx. 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth   
1/2 teaspoon cumin     
1/2 teaspoon coriander               
1 teaspoon cinnamon            
3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
cayenne to taste
salt to taste

Method
Roast the squash by cutting in half, removing seeds and stringy membrane, place cut side down on baking sheet, and pierce skin with a fork a few times. Cook at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until soft.

Chop onions and caramelize in a soup pot. Add broth as needed. When onions are done add mushrooms and sauté until liquid is released and cooked down.

Rinse lentils. For quicker soup, soak them in the broth. Scoop squash flesh away from skin and puree with orange juice.

Once onions are caramelized and mushrooms are done, add all ingredients into the onion cooking pot. Simmer gently until lentils are cooked.

If using squash, you may wish to add onion juice to cut the sweetness. If using canned pumpkin, you may wish to add sugar to increase sweetness. Serves 4.