Pumpkin Carrot Autumn Soup

Pumpkin Carrot Autumn Soup

Serves 5-6

Takes about 1 hour

This is one of those fresh from the autumn farmer’s market or natural food stores soups.  My local natural foods store is always full of the most beautiful array of different colored vegetables.  It feels like a challenge to create something as colorful as possible.  Purple carrots aren’t a necessity but they increase the beauty of the soup ten-fold.  They turn your broth purple and the result is mouth-watering.  If you can’t find the purple ones, use the regular old orange ones.  Baby sugar pie pumpkins work well – they are the right size and easy to deal with but you could also buy a part of a large pumpkin.  Sunchokes are optional but they add a nice crunch.  The prep time is mostly the time it takes to chop all the vegetables.

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs pumpkin, seeds removed, peeled with a vegetable peeler, and cut into small squares

3 purple carrots, peeled and diced

1 leek, diced

3 sunchokes, unpeeled and diced (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp fresh minced, unpeeled ginger

3 cloves minced garlic

5 cups water

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 bay leaves

¼ cup fresh chopped savory leaves

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp onion granules

½ tsp paprika (bonus points if it’s smoked)

½ tsp ground sage

Black pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a pot.  When hot, add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute or two.  When ginger starts to stick to the pan, pour in the water.

2. Bring the water to a boil.  Add the pumpkin and the vinegar.  Bring to a boil again, then lower heat to medium, cover and boil gently for about 6 minutes.

3. Add in the rest of the ingredients.  Bring back to a boil.  Boil for 6 – 7 minutes.  You want the carrots to be somewhat soft but still have firmness.  The sunchokes should still be crisp.

4. Pairs well with sweet brown rice and/or fresh bread.  Serve immediately.