It’s Fall Harvest time and one of my favorite things to do is visit the local apple orchard with my family. While my kids are off looking for the biggest pumpkin to carve, I’m busy looking for the smallest pumpkins to cook with! The small pumpkins are sweeter and less starchy than the big ones and are great for making pies and soups.
Here’s a great recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Soup that your whole family will love. It takes a bit of extra time to make it from scratch, but is so worth the results! The pumpkin will give you your Vitamin A and fiber, the ginger is a wonderful anti-inflammatory and the pumpkin seeds are loaded with immune boosting zinc!
ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP
2 small pumpkins – cut in half, scoop out seeds, cover with olive oil and salt, place cut-side down on baking sheet, and roast in a 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Cool enough to remove skin.
1 T. fresh chopped fresh ginger
1 medium white onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 small apple, cored and sliced
2 T. maple syrup
1/2 cup apple cider
Salt & pepper
1/2-1 cup cream or coconut milk
In a soup pot, sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in a tablespoon of olive or coconut oil. Add the roasted pumpkin, apple cider, maple syrup, salt and pepper and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from pot and puree in blender.
Once soup is completely blended, return to soup pot on low heat and finish by adding cream or coconut milk until desired consistency.
Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds, either you can roast your own, or for this recipe I like the spicy pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) from the bulk section of the market. Serve with a generous side of greens or leafy green salad and you will have the perfect fall meal!
