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.
