Heat 4 tablespoons of vegetable broth in a large soup pot. Add onion, carrot, ginger and celery. Cook vegetables until they soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook another minute. Add the 4 cups of vegetable broth, squash and apple and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash and apple are fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Add the maple syrup. Remove the cinnamon stick . Use an immersion blender to puree soup or let cool and puree in batches in a food processor or blender. Taste and adjust seasonings.

While the soup is cooking, make the apple pomegranate salsa.

Combine all the salsa ingredients.

Ladle the soup into large bowls. Sprinkle pepita seeds over top. Top with a small mound of apple pomegranate salsa.