Pumpkin Soup

Every year we make pumpkin soup with pumpkins from the garden. I like to serve soup in the small pumpkins. I will bake the little pumpkins separate and scrap the insides to use for breads, cookies, muffins, ect and serve the pumpkin soup in the skins. Sometimes I will serve the soup topped with yogurt and chives, other times apples, and sometimes pumpkin seeds. I always save the seeds! If you aren’t into spicy seeds save them and make cinnamon sugar seeds for lunch or snack the next day.

Pumpkin Soup

Makes 4 servings

1 pie pumpkin, approx 3lb

1 large shallot, chopped (1/3-1/2c)

2 cloves of garlic

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and pepper

2 sprigs thyme

4 c vegetable stock

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds, recipe below, optional

1 apple, optional

Preheat oven to 400. Clean pumpkin out, savings seeds, and cut into quarters. Place on a foil lined baking sheet for 30-35 minutes until tender. In the mean time clean pumpkin seeds and set aside. In a large pot heat olive oil and cook shallots until tender Grate in garlic, stir in thyme, and add stock. When pumpkin is cooked remove from oven and let sit for a couple of minutes until cool enough to handle and remove outside of pumpkin from flesh, adding the flesh to the pot. Bring soup to a boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes. If making the spicy pumpkin seeds you can bake those now. Place soup in a Vitamix or blender (not filling past manual stated settings as the hot soup will expand) and puree soup. Pour into bowls or cooked pumpkin, if cooking other pumpkin. Season to taste. Top with apple, yogurt, and or spicy pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

used seeds from two pumpkins

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp cinnamon

coconut oil spray or extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Clean pumpkin seeds. Line a baking sheet with foil, spread out pumpkin seeds and spray with coconut oil spray or toss with olive oil and spread on pan. Mix together salt, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of pumpkin seeds and back 15-20 minutes, watching, until desired doneness or nice and golden.