Pumpkin Soup

(Picture by Karen Madsen)

This recipe was sent to me by Brittanie S. She says it's a family favorite. And it's just in time for Autumn!

Ingredients:

• 2T Olive oil
• 3 C vegetable stock (I use chicken broth or base)
• 1 15 oz can drained black beans
• 1 c heavy cream (we often use whole milk instead)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 med. onion, chopped (or sub 1 to 2 Tbs dehydrated onion)
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 15 oz cans pumpkin puree
• 1 T curry powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Saute onions; add broth, tomatoes, beans, and pumpkin. Bring to boil. Reduce Heat. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer.

Serve with tortilla chips, optional: sour cream and chives.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I found this recipe at a blog called Kathie Cooks. They were scrumptious.

Ingredients:

• 1 2/3 c. Flour
• 1 c. Sugar
• 1 T. Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 t. Baking Soda
• 1 t. Baking Powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 c. Pumpkin
• 1/2 c. Butter, softened
• 1 c. Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin cups.

Thoroughly mix flour, sugar, pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in large bowl.

Break eggs into another bowl. Add pumpkin and butter; whisk until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour over dry ingredients and fold in with a rubber spatula just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Scoop batter evening into 12-15 muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Notes about this recipe:

1. I used whole wheat flour.
2. I made mini muffins, so the cook time was about 12-14 minutes instead and it yielded about 4 dozen.
3. The second time I made them I also replaced the butter with pureed garbanzo beans. I put the beans in a bowl and mashed them with my potato masher/bottom of a cup until they were basically pureed (you could do this with a food processor but I've only got my poor blender and it just doesn't do so hot). It's a one to one ratio, so 1/2 cup of butter can be replaced with 1/2 cup of beans.

Spiced Pumpkin Waffles

I know I should have posted this back on Halloween, but didn't get a chance to. This is what we have decided to make every year on Halloween. And we'll probably make them all through the winter as well. SO DELICIOUS! Sadly I don't have a picture to tempt you.

I found the recipe at Country Living. It was reposted with permission, which means I can't post it here. But seriously, go check it out. You won't be sorry, should you choose to make them.

Notes about the recipe:

1. We did half wheat/half white flour.
2. We didn't use fresh ground nutmeg, just the stuff in a little container.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

This recipe was sent to me by Leslie G. She found it at My Panera.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 3/4 cup chopped carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) 100 percent pumpkin puree
• 1 cup canned coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of sugar
• 8 thin slices from Panera Bread Three Seed Demi Bread, toasted
  

Directions:

1.Heat oil and butter in large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add onion, carrot, garlic, ginger, and curry powder. Cook until carrots are soft, 5 to 8 minutes.

2.Pour in 1 1/2 cups of broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in pumpkin, coconut milk, salt, and sugar, and cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until very smooth.

3.Return to pan and heat through. Served with the toasted slices of Panera Bread Three Seed Demi Bread.

Makes 4 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Nutrition (per serving): 439 calories, 11 g protein, 55 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 851 mg sodium, 11 g dietary fiber

Notes about this recipe:

It's a good soup, we didn't puree it but I imagine it tastes good all the same. It isn't too spicy, so little kids may like it.