Spiced White Bean Pumpkin Soup

There was a time when we only used real pumpkins to carve them, and we only consumed pumpkin in the form of holiday pies. The famous orange member of the squash family has really made some moves as of late! It is considered a “trendy” seasonal food, highly sought after for recipes of all kinds. Now we see pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin granola bars, pumpkin spiced beverages and even more creative pumpkin desserts!

My latest experiment with the pureed form of this vegetable resulted in a delicious, comforting and creamy soup.

Spiced White Bean Pumpkin Soup
Makes ~4 servings

1 tsp Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup lite coconut milk
1 can (15 oz) organic white (cannellini) beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (15 oz) organic pumpkin puree
3 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium)

Seasonings:garam masala, turmeric, salt/pepper, cayenne pepper.

In a deep pan or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium; sauté onion and garlic until softened.  Add remaining ingredients, stir to mix well – this may take a few minutes as the pumpkin “melts” into the mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and let simmer for 25-30 minutes. Stir frequently.
Optional: serve with a green onion garnish.

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Nutrition info  per serving:
Calories: 180  Fat: 2.2g (Sat. fat: 0.4g) Carbs: 37g  Fiber:12g Protein: 9 g