It's Soup Season!

I'm reviewing a cookbook for my local paper called Superfood Cuisine: Cooking with Nature's Most Amazing Foods, by Julie Morris.  When I was in the Natural Chef program at Bauman College, I referred to these foods as "weird food."  I was introduced to a whole new world of ingredients that I'd never heard of, let alone eaten.  And it didn't kill me...so I was excited to review Morris' book and try some new foods.

Overall I love the book, and I can't wait to cook my way through more of it.  My review focused on the soup recipes.  The first one was a Tomato & Quinoa soup.  It was easy and quick, but the taste was flat.  I added my good friend, smoked sweet paprika, and it helped give the flavor a boost.

Next, I was salivating over the Chipotle Chili with Avocado Sour Cream recipe.  It's a wonderful chili if you leave out the wakame flakes.  The recipe called for 2 "heaping" tablespoons of the sea vegetable, and it overpowered the dish.  I felt like I swallowed a mouthful of the sea!  The avocado cream, however, is out of this world!  Dairy-free, and simple as can be: 2/3 cup raw cashews, 2/3 cup water in a small blender; add 1 peeled, chopped avocado,2 tablespoons lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt and blend into a whip.  Soooooo good.  I was putting it on everything I could think of!

I wanted to try one more recipe, hoping to find one that I would love as is, and I found it in Roasted Pumpkin Soup.  I've never really liked pumpkin, but I think it's because I don't like pumpkin pie - cloves creep me out.  The ingredients in the soup looked delish, so I decided to give it a try, and it paid off.  This soup is creamy, sweet and nutty, and is a fantastic source of antioxidants, Vitamin A and C,.  Dig in.....

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 cup sweet yellow onion, diced (about ½ medium onion)

2 large garlic cloves, minced

3 cups roasted sugar pie pumpkin, chopped into 1” chunks

1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika (or regular paprika)

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 cups light coconut milk

1/3 cup pineapple juice

1 tablespoon yacon syrup, plus extra for serving (or 1 ½ teaspoon agave syrup, plus extra for serving)

1 tablespoon maca powder

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Warm the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until onions begin to turn translucent.  Add the pumpkin, paprika, and sea salt, and cook for a couple minutes longer, stirring constantly.  Pour in the coconut milk, pineapple juice, and 1 tablespoon yacon syrup.  Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover, and cook for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.

Transfer to a blender and add the maca powder.  Puree the soup until smooth, then taste and adjust seasonings if desired.  To serve, ladle soup into a serving bowl, drizzle with yacon syrup, and top generously with freshly cracked pepper.

How to Roast a Pumpkin

Preheat oven to 375°.  Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy matter.  Place the pumpkin, flesh side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and season with a couple pinches of sea salt and black pepper.  Rub in ½ tablespoon of coconut oil an each pumpkin half, then flip the halves over to sit flesh-side down on the pan.  Place in the oven and roast until the skin has begun to brown and the flesh is tender – about 45-50 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool.  When cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh for use and discard the skin.