Inside My Mid-life Crisis

Fall has officially fallen in the Pacific Northwest. The rains have come, it's starting to get a little cooler though it is rather unseasonable warmish still. Fall is actually one of my favorite seasons. Time to get the soup pot and the crock pot out, the leaves are so lovely and best of all, NEW CROP APPLES!  My trip to the pumpkin patch yielded a variety of squash that will eventually become meal participants, but in the mean time a bountiful centerpiece when coupled with some leaves and twigs gathered during a park walk with Blackberry.

The first fall soup of the season was served a couple weeks ago. I found this "lighter" version of pumpkin soup in the Parade magazine. By their recipe, 6 servings at only 110 cal per serving. You don't get into real calorie trouble unless you eat it with pretzel rolls and fresh sweet cream butter....heh heh heh... is it any wonder I can't loose weight regularly!

I served the soup with roast chicken thighs and cauliflower. Cut any excess gross fat blobs off the chicken, score next to the bone to speed the cooking, season liberally with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning and chopped fresh rosemary (Brita, go snip your plant..) Bake at 350 about 45 minutes while you prepare the soup.
The fat from the skin sends yummy goodness running over to the cauliflower without drowning it in fat. Brant says this is his new fave way to eat cauliflower...

Spiced Pumpkin Soup- my editorials will be in italicized blue...
1T canola oil
1 small onion finely chopped
1 t minced garlic (one big clove)
1 t curry powder (sweet/yellow)
1 t cumin
1/4 t cardamon- I didn't have it, didn't use it and didn't miss it-I was not about to spend $9 bucks on a jar of a spice I would never use for a 1/4 t--skip it.
1/4 t salt (I use kosher of course)
1/4 t black pepper
2 C reduced fat/low sodium chicken stock/broth
1 15oz can of pumpkin (NOT pie filling, pure pumpkin!)
1 12oz can fat free evaporated milk
6 T plain,fat free Greek yogurt
**2/3 C light coconut milk- more later on this

In a large pot heat oil over low for 30 seconds. Add onion and cook until soft (sweat the onions), add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in the spices, salt & pepper. Cook for another minute stirring all the while.

Whisk in the stock and the pumpkin. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.


 "BTB-RTS" If you ever watch Chef Anne Burrell, you will here her rattle off those letters, its a basic cooking technique, bring to boil, reduce to simmer....

Add evaporated milk and simmer another 2 minutes.


Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth (I didn't do this, it was pretty smooth since my onions were so finely minced.) Add more broth to thin if desired (mine was thin enough as-is)
Ladle into bowls garnish with yogurt and parsley.
**now, I skipped the yogurt (it just sank to the bottom) trade the yogurt for 2/3-3/4 C light coconut milk added at the same time as the evaporated milk-delish and a zero impact on the calories if you skip the yogurt.

We enjoyed this meal with a crisp and clean, apple-y, medium dry 2010 CMS Sauvignon Blanc- Available at Costco for $8 a bottle and it is a WA wine from Hedges.
Happy Fall everyone!