Spicy Pumpkin Soup by Becca Tebon

Spicy Pumpkin Soup. I just LOVE the cooler weather … yes, even in FLA, we seem to enjoy less humid nights. I love the smells in my home from cooking in the Fall. Cinnamon. Squashes. All-spice. Cloves. Yummy!

I just made my favorite soup, Spicy Pumpkin Soup, and realized that I need to share the recipe with you! If you are not a fan of spicy food or don’t like coconut, don’t be scared off by this recipe. Just modify it to fit your tastes. Even if you’re like me and have decided to cut back on dairy, it’s possible to warm up with a creamy bowl of hot soup that doesn’t lay on the cream or calories too heavily. This light pumpkin-coconut bisque will curb your dairy cravings and keep you on track this Fall. The ingredient that really makes this subtle soup stand out is the unsweetened coconut milk. Both vegan- and Paleo-friendly. Ready to grab a spoon? Keep reading for this recipe for the vitamin-A-rich soup. A report done by CNN.com, reported  other valuable benefits for adding pumpkin onto your plate this season. Among them weight loss, sharper vision, a pumped up immunity, younger looking skin, lowers cancer risks, and helps treat diabetes.

Weight loss

Pumpkin is rich in fiber, which slows digestion. “Pumpkin keeps you feeling fuller longer,” says Caroline Kaufman, MS, RDN and an upwave diet and nutrition expert. “There’s seven grams of fiber in a cup of canned pumpkin. That’s more than what you’d get in two slices of whole-grain bread.” Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin may be filling, but it’s also a low-calorie superstar. “Canned pumpkin is nearly 90 percent water, so besides the fact that it helps keep you hydrated, it has fewer than 50 calories per serving,” Kaufman says.

Sharper vision

Pumpkin’s brilliant orange coloring comes from its ample supply of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for eye health and helps the retina absorb and process light. A single cup of pumpkin contains over 200 percent of most people’s recommended daily intake of vitamin A, making it an outstanding option for optical health.

Pumpkin also contains lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that are thought to help prevent cataracts and may even slow the development of macular degeneration.

Better immunity

Looking for a way to ward off illness and improve your immune system? Try pumpkin. The large shot of vitamin A the fruit provides helps your body fight infections, viruses and infectious diseases. Pumpkin oil even helps fight various bacterial and fungal infections. Plus, pumpkin is packed with nearly 20 percent of the recommended amount of daily vitamin C, which may help you recover from colds faster.

Younger-looking skin

Sure, eating pumpkin can help you look younger (beta-carotene in pumpkin helps protect us from the sun’s wrinkle-causing UV rays), but the pulp also makes a great, all-natural face mask that exfoliates and soothes. All you need is 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie), an egg, a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of milk. Mix, then apply it, wait for 20 minutes or so and wash it off with warm water.

Lower cancer risk

Beta-carotene is great for your eyes and skin, but you know what else it’s good for? Fighting cancer. Research shows people who eat a beta-carotene-rich diet may have a lower risk of some types of cancer, including prostate and lung cancer.

Vitamins A and C are “a kind of cell defense squad,” Kaufman says. “[They] are both antioxidants, and they act as shields for your cells against cancer-causing free radicals.” Spicy Pumpkin Soup

It may help treat diabetes

In scientific tests, pumpkin has been shown to reduce blood glucose levels, improve glucose tolerance and increase the amount of insulin the body produces. More testing needs to be done before we can say for sure what pumpkin’s benefits for diabetics will be, but if you have diabetes, munching on pumpkin certainly won’t hurt.

I hope you’ll try out my yummy Spicy Pumpkin Soup recipe. It’s a favorite of my kids, family and friend. In fact, just today, while in the supermarket they all asked me to cook up a crock this weekend! I think you’re family will love it our tradition too! Share your family favorite recipes. If used in an upcoming cookbook, I’ll be sure to give you credit! — Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

 

 

Pumpkin Soup With a Zing …Garnished 

 

Ingredients: (serves 7)

• 3 tbsp. Butter (use Safflower oil or Coconut Oil)
• 3 cups finely chopped sweet onions
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1 1/2 (15 oz) can of solid pack pumpkin
• 1 cup Coconut Milk (original recipe was whole milk, but we stopped using this and I don’t recommend almond milk for this recipe)
• 3/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth (or Vegetable)
• 3/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Mexican Cream Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sour cream (Vegan)
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice

SOUP Preparation:
1.In a large heavy metal pot, melt butter/oil over a medium heat.

2. Add onions & garlic, sauté until translucent (about 10 minutes).

3. Add to pot:pumpkin, milk and crushed red pepper — stir.

4. Remove pot from stove and pour mixture into a food processor and puree.

5. Return pureed mixture back to pot and add chicken broth.

6. Simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors, stirring occasionally. (Go make the cream now)

7. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
8. Ladle soup into bowls, adding a dollop of Mexican cream mixture and sprinkle with toasted pipits (shelled pumpkin seeds). I found a great set of bowls @

CREAM Preparation:

In a small bowl combine and whisk: sour cream, coconut milk and fresh lime juice. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Mexican cream can be made 1 week ahead, but keep chilled. Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Toasted PAPITAS Preparation: Simply simmer papitas on the stove on low heat until they just start to change to a light brown or place in over under the broiler for a few minutes then turn over.

SERVE IT IN STYLE! in a regular bowl, in a gourd, in a small pumpkin or in a small pumpkin tureen. Tureens can be lined with fresh lime juice and salt. Wishing you and those you prepare this for a Day of Thanks and Giving! <3