Pumpkin Soup

PUMPKINLiscious Soup

You might have cut the eyes out for the Jacko-lantern but that Pumpkin might still help you see. The bright orange color means Pumpkins are loaded with carotenoids, including beta-carotene, which the body converts into Vitamin A….good for your night vision. One bowl of soup can have 200% of your daily A’s and even some of those handy Vitamin B’s. They are high in fiber which fills you up on fewer calories and helps keep you trim as you move into cookie season.

So don’t throw those nutritious squashes out after Halloween, bake them and eat them warm out of the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper, 350 for about 35 -45 minutes. Or cozy up to a hot bowl of homemade soup, with just the right amount of creamy spice to be super satisfying while being down right good for you. This SIMPLE Pumpkin soup, garnished with coconut cubes and pumpkin seeds, is a winner any night of the week and can impress the pants off a special guest.

Below is Dana’s recipe from the Minimalist Baker she topped off hers with a Sesame Kale garnish. The recipe is vegan and gluten free and has only 7-ingredients that are all readily available.

It all starts with sugar pumpkins but I have used all sorts of squash and pumpkins for this recipe. The little sugar guys are perfect for roasting and turning into DIY pumpkin puree.  I also see a Pie in your future.

Roasting the pumpkin is the only part of this recipe that takes any length of time. Once it’s done, this soup comes together fast!

Ingredients

2 sugar pumpkins (~2 1/4 cups (450 g) pumpkin puree)
2 shallots, diced (~1/4 cup or 40 g)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 Tbsp or 9 g)
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth
1 cup (240 ml) light coconut milk (or sub other non-dairy milk with varied results)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if not vegan)
1/4 tsp each sea salt, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg

SIMPLE PUMPKIN SOUP
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
1 hour
Total time
1 hour 15 mins
Serves: 3-4

Instructions
Roast Pumpkin – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut off the tops of two sugar pumpkins and then halve them. Use a sharp spoon to scrape out all of the seeds and strings (see notes for a link to roasting seeds).

Brush the flesh with oil and place face down on the baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the skin. Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, then peel away skin and set pumpkin aside.

To a large saucepan over medium heat add 1 Tbsp olive oil, shallot and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly browned and translucent. Turn down heat if cooking too quickly.
Add remaining ingredients, including the pumpkin, and bring to a simmer.

Transfer soup mixture to a blender or use an emulsion blender to puree the soup. If using a blender, place a towel over the top of the lid before mixing to avoid any accidents. Pour mixture back into pot.
Continue cooking over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes and taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve as is or with Kale-Sesame topping.

GARLIC KALE SESAME TOPPING (optional)

Ingredients
1 cup (67 g) roughly chopped kale
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp (18 g) raw sesame seeds
1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
pinch salt

For the Kale-Sesame topping: In a small skillet over medium heat, dry toast sesame seeds for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until slightly golden brown. Be careful as they can burn quickly. Remove from pan and set aside.
To the still hot pan, add olive oil and garlic and sauté until golden brown – about 2 minutes. Add kale and toss, then add a pinch of salt and cover to steam. Cook for another few minutes until kale is wilted and then add sesame seeds back in. Toss to coat and set aside for topping soup.
Recipe serves 3-4. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to a few days and in the freezer for up to a month or more.

This recipe is from Dana at the MinimalistBaker.com. She creates simple, delicious recipes that require 10 ingredients or less, one bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare.