Curried Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Today was the perfect crisp fall day in Portland.  The leaves are just starting to turn, with bright red and golden yellow swirling through the wind as the leaves fall off the trees.  The perfect day for delicious warm and creamy pumpkin soup, with a crunchy grilled cheese sandwich for dipping.

Now I always advocate for fresh ingredients; avoid dried, frozen, or canned as much as possible.  Welp, I used canned pumpkin here folks. You'll get more flavor if you puree your own fresh pumpkin, but it was just not in the cards this week for me.

I took the leftovers for lunch at work.  I had a baked potato leftover from the weekend that I didn't know what to do with, so I chopped it up and put it in the soup on a whim. holy.moly. The potato added an amazing richness and perfect texture to the soup. It was as if the two were meant for each other, soul mates, if you will.

Curried Pumpkin Coconut Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced

3 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup vegetable broth

1 14 ounce can coconut milk

1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander 

1/2 tsp curry paste or powder

pinch of cinnamon

salt to taste
 
Directions:
1. In a large pot, sautee the onions in the oil until onions turn soft and translucent.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 2-3 minutes longer.
3. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, and spices; stir to combine.
4. Add the broth slowly, until you reach the desired consistency (I like mine on the thick side)
3. Simmer over low heat for at least fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Puree in food processor or blender until creamy and smooth.

Corn Chowder

So here it is, my first post. I have wrestled with the idea of creating a food blog for the better part of the last year. I finally created this page several weeks ago, and I have stared at the blank white screen every single day with absolutely no idea where to begin. Today seems like just as good a day as any, so let’s start with this: Corn Chowder.

The secret ingredient in this recipe is corn broth. Yes, you heard me: corn broth. It is so incredibly easy to make, and adds such an incredible richness to the recipe that you will wonder “where has this been my whole life?!”.

 

This is a great make-ahead recipe; it is even better the next day, once the flavors have melded together.

Corn Chowder

Serves: 6-8

Recipe adapted from The Gluten Free Vegan
 

Ingredients:
6-8 ears of fresh corn on the cob
2 ½ cups water
1 tbs Olive oil
1 leek (or small onion), diced
2 red potatoes, chopped
1 yam (or sweet potato), chopped
1 can coconut milk (or any kind of milk you like)
salt & pepper to taste

2 tbs vegetable base 

Directions:

1. Add the water to a saucepan and put on medium heat, add a pinch of salt.
2. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and set aside. Place the corncobs in the salted water and cover. Let this simmer on low while you make the soup (you can also make this ahead and throw it in a crock pot – the longer this can cook, the more flavor the broth will have).
3. While the broth is simmering, add olive oil to a soup pot and turn on medium to low heat. While that heats up, chop your leek (or onion) & add to the pan. Let this sauté until translucent.
4. Chop the potatoes & yam and add to the pot with the leek. Allow this to cook for 5 – 10 minutes.
5. While the potatoes and leek sauté, prepare the broth: remove from heat and strain through a sieve (a colander would work as well, it just won’t keep out as much of the corn). Discard the corncobs. Add the vegetable base to the corn broth and stir well.
6. Add the broth to the potato-leek pot. Add the corn you set aside previously. Cover and let simmer on medium heat until the potatoes start to soften (you don’t want them to overcook, or else they will get mushy!)
7. Once the potatoes begin to soften, add the can of coconut milk. Add salt & pepper to taste.
8. Enjoy!