spicy pumpkin soup

Did you know tomorrow is National Soup Swap day? I LOVE soup – what a great holiday! It would be so fun to have a party and swap soup (like a cookie exchange). Maybe next year. Until then, here’s a new recipe to add to your box!

YUM! I made this soup the other day and it was fabulous. I ran across this delightful recipe in the February copy of All You magazine. You know…that magazine with all the coups. The picture above is from the All You website. Doesn’t it look delicious?! (I wish my pictures look that appetizing! Maybe I should stop taking them at night.)

I loved it and the kids gobbled it up. I gave a batch to my parents and they loved it too. So, it must be good. Kevin didn’t try it. Mainly because it was all gone, but also because he claims that soup isn’t a meal, so it’s a waste of good soup to share with him. 🙂

They also have a curried pumpkin soup recipe that looks very good. I may try that next – but it has a lot more ingredients.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 8 Servings

Cost per Serving: $.98 (wow – what a bargain!)

What you need:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 small jalapeño chili, seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree
1 13.5-oz. can light coconut milk, shaken
4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
Salt

What to do:

In a pan, warm oil over medium-low heat. Sauté onion and ginger until soft, 8 minutes. Do not let brown. Add jalapeño and garlic; cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in lime zest, pumpkin, coconut milk and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt. Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then puree in a blender. Serve hot.

I poured my soup over rice one day because it seems kind of like a curry to me. IT WAS GREAT! I also sprinkled some crunchy baked chick peas in mine. I’ll share that recipe soon. They are totally addictive.

* Did you know that pumpkin (even canned) is loaded with vitamin A, fiber, protein and zinc. Pumpkin is also a valuable source of antioxidants and is the highest source of alpha carotene. It’s a good source of vitamins C, K, and E, and lots of minerals, including magnesium, copper and potassium. It’s low in cholesterol and sodium. Good stuff!

Nutritional Information – (from the All You website)