Homemade Soup Day, Let's Celebrate

Hearing that National Homemade Soup Day was arriving I was wondering what Winter soup I'd make to have for a tummy warming treat for me & the Mister. I have to admit I'd eat soup almost any day of the year but we've had an unseasonably warm Winter here in Texas. I had to find just the right soup recipe to make since our temperatures have been so moderate of late. I have enjoyed African Peanut Soup many times & like the spicy quality as well rich creaminess of that dish. In an urge to avoid legumes right now at our house I opted for a more veggie based soup version with a slight nod to my favorite African Peanut Soups of the past. I used homemade pumpkin puree I had from oven roasting a Fall pumpkin. The flavors from oven roasting are slightly different from the canned version so if given the opportunity to use fresh please try it! Bowls up & enjoy National Homemade Soup Day today, February 4.

Pumpkin Soup
1 medium onion
2 stalks celery
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons grapeseed, coconut or olive oil
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 large can of whole tomatoes, do not drain
1/2 cup creamy almond butter or peanut butter
1 (29 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree (*or process your own pumpkin & freeze ahead of time in Fall)
1- 13.5 oz can coconut milk
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
salt & pepper
Directions:


Finely mince the onion and celery.
Either use a garlic press for the garlic or mince extremely fine.
Melt the oil in your stock pot and sauté the onion, celery and garlic for about 5 minutes or until soft.
Add the stock, followed by the remaining indgredients, whisking the mixture so it remains smooth.
Simmer for about 20 minutes and serve.


I served this soup topped with toasted pumpkin seeds & a sprig of fresh rosemary. I tossed the seeds with 2 tsp oil & stirred in Wasabi Fumi Furikake seasoning & roasted for 25 min @ 350 stirring every 5 minutes. The seasoning adds a different kick to the pumpkin seeds. Glad I tried it, I will certainly be utilizing the seasoning again. *Fall pumpkins never go to waste in my house.  We roast, stuff & re-purposed our pumpkins if not for us then for our wild critters.  See the re-purposed pumpkin below.

Fill a pumpkin with bird seed for a critter treat!