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Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Apples and Pears
Kateryna Odyntsova
[donotprint]STRATEGY SESSION: My strategies in this soup are familiar: Use healthy fats and keep them to a minimum, keep a lid on calories, and moderate the glycemic load. I start by substituting light coconut milk for full-fat. Then I add 1 tablespoon of macadamia nut oil. (If you don't have any-- canola oil will do.) And finally, although pumpkin has a high glycemic index, it is counter-balanced by the low GI onion, apple, and pear.
Since I started working on Trufflehead, my son has been its virtual recipe tester. I say “virtual” because he’s actually tested only 1 or 2 dishes. However, I know how he thinks about cooking, and I’ve used that knowledge to streamline prep work and simplify ingredients. For example, the Trufflehead version of Turkey-Spinach Burgers with Sweet Soy Ginger Sauce calls for thawed frozen rather than blanched fresh spinach. I’ve also developed a number of recipes specifically for him and his cohort that take the following basic form: Open a couple of cans, chop a couple of ingredients, throw everything into a pot, stir and serve. Now those are instructions Sam can get his head around.
One of the app's born-easy recipes is the following soup. I liked it so much I made it every week for about 2 months. You’ll notice that the first 4 items on the ingredients list are cans. Although the inaugural batch contained garam masala, the Trufflehead version substitutes a blend of more readily available spices. (I came up with the precise formula after consulting my Indian cuisine guru, Madhu Ghadía.) It takes about 20 minutes from start to finish—which places it comfortably among the 180 Trufflehead recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less.
Note: For a vegetarian version, use vegetable instead of chicken broth.[/donotprint]
Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Apples and Pears
- 2 (15-ounce) cans pumpkin
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk (shaken well before pouring)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided
- 2 teaspoons canola oil, preferably organic, or macadamia nut oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped (1 cup)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom, optional
- 1 Fuji apple, preferably organic, peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 ripe Bosc pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
- Chopped cilantro, optional
- 2 scallions (green onions), greens only, thinly sliced, optional
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin and coconut milk. Whisk to blend. Gradually add 1¾ cups of the chicken broth, whisking after each addition.
- Place a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add the oil. When hot, add the onion and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 10 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin mixture, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne (if using), cumin, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, and cardamom (if using). Stir to blend.
- Add the chopped apple and pear and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apple and pear are cooked to desired doneness. If the soup is too thick, thin with the remaining ¼ cup chicken broth. Remove the bay leaf. Serve hot, garnished with chopped cilantro and/or sliced scallions if desired.
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The Healthy Apple
Oooo what a fabulous soup; love the coconut and pumpkin along with the sweet apples and pears. Thank you for sharing; this is a great recipe for a rainy Sunday like today!
Enjoy your weekend.
Best,
Amie
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