Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat it with 2 tablespoons of the oil (pump sprays work well too). Roast the onions, butternut squash, fennel, and pears for 45 minutes. Check after 25 minutes and flip any smaller vegetables. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, roasted vegetables, potatoes, and carrots in a large stockpot or Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat for several minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bouquet garni and 4 cups of the vegetable broth—enough to just about cover the vegetables so they can simmer. If you feel as though you need more, add the remaining 1 cup broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 35 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until creamy. Add in the coconut milk and blend again. At this point, you can adjust the thickness with more broth, if needed. You can also blend the soup in batches in a high speed blender once it has slightly cooled. Stir in the lemon juice, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, garnish with fennel fronds (if using), and serve hot.
• NOTES: If you aren’t planning a dinner party, any extra soup will freeze beautifully. Freezing soup is convenient and time saving, but please make sure to cool the soup down properly before it goes into the freezer—use an ice bath to quicken the process. Store the cooled soup in a freezer bag and lay it flat if space is an issue, or consider Souper Cubes (see Resources) for convenient freezer friendly containers. The safest and best way to thaw soup is to place the container in a warm water bath until fully thawed. Place the thawed soup in a pot and reheat on the stovetop over low heat for best results. Save the fennel fronds to garnish the dish, use them to make fennel pesto, or add them to your bouquet garni.