Butternut Squash & Apple Soup with Ginger

This month has not been a very healthy one so far. First I had a bad cold, keeping me at home with a mild fever. Then I got better, and my husband got the flu very suddenly this week. I had some leftover roasted squash I was saving for a soup, although I usually make carrot-ginger-lemon soup for colds. I decided to combine the two ideas of butternut squash apple soup with the carrot soup. Apparently it doesn't cure the flu, but the sweet, gingery, salty, tart blend goes down easy, and makes you feel all warm inside.

1 Tbsp butter (*Earth Balance + salt for vegan*)
1 Tbsp chopped ginger
1/4 C chopped onion
1 large carrot, chopped
1/2 small butternut squash, roasted
2 small Macintosh apples, peeled, cored, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
approx. 1 C water & 1-1/2 C vegetable stock (enough to cover what's in the pot)
Salt to taste

Saute onions and ginger in butter. Add carrot, squash, stock and water. Simmer 10 minutes and then add apples. Simmer 5 minutes. Add lemon and salt to taste. Transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Add back to pan, reheat, check seasoning and serve with fresh ground pepper.