This three-step, slow cooker creation combines fresh or canned pumpkin with creamy coconut milk and sense-awakening spices–ginger, garlic and turmeric–for flavorful, rich dish to chase away the chills.
Pumpkin-Coconut Slow Cooker Soup
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. coconut oil or hemp oil
4 scallions (green onions), chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
1/4 jalapeno pepper
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 medium-sized pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks OR 3-1/2 cups canned pumpkin (OR 1 cup butternut squash)*
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. hemp seeds, toasted
2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds, toasted
Cashew cream
Directions
1. In large saucepan, heat coconut oil or hemp oil over low heat. Add onion, garlic, ginger and jalapeno and sautee until onions are translucent (not browned).
2. Place sauteed mixture in slow cooker or crock pot. Add water, vegetable broth, coconut milk and pumpkin or squash; cover. Cook on low for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
(Optional: While soup is cooking, toast pumpkin and hemp seeds in oven at 350 ° F.)
3. In a food processor or high speed blender, puree the soup. Stir in cashew cream for creamy consistency. Top with parsley, basil, hemp and/or pumpkin seeds and a dollop of cashew cream.
*For a more intense pumpkin or squash flavor, cut pumpkin or squash in half and slow roast in the oven, cut side down, at 350 ° F for at least 30 minutes prior to step 3.