RECIPE: Mexican Pumpkin Soup

WARNING: CONTAINS NIGHTSHADES

My favorite thing about fall is warm comfort foods like soups and curries!  Celebrate the season and make a big pot of Mexican Pumpkin Soup for Halloween, Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), or any potluck, party or gathering.

The beauty of this soup is you can make it how YOU like it. It's gluten free, dairy free, soy free and corn free. You can easily modify it to be VEGAN or PALEO - it's delicious either way! 
COOKING TIPS:

Chorizo
The recipe calls for chorizo - you can use a traditional pork chorizo sausage. Get it without the casing if possible, or remove it from the casing before you cook it.

Chicken chorizo from Whole Foods works great too. Just slice it and add it in with the veggies. I even tried a lamb sausage once and it was pretty good.


Veggies
Harvest the garden! Don't be afraid to add more veggies such as tomatoes, bell peppers, etc.

Pumpkin
Canned pumpkin works, but roasting your own pumpkin is always better. Visit the How Crazy Cooks Blog to make your own pumpkin puree.




Save the Leftovers
This makes a LARGE pot of soup -  If you have leftovers, it's even better the next day. Pack some in the freezer for quick lunches you can take to work. Homemade soup for lunch is WAY better than some grocery store frozen meal or packaged soup, right?. So why not make a huge pot? - even if you live alone. Trust me, you'll love it!


Chili Powder
I think the type of chili powder makes a huge difference in any dish you use it in. My favorite chili powder is from the Spice Hunter. Locally it can be found at Harmon's. I've won a chili cook-off with it - it's a great blend.








Step by step instructions



1. Heat a large stock pot  -sauté onions and chorizo over medium heat until the onions soften. If using pre-cooked sausage, add it in step 3.












2.    Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until sausage is lightly browned.













3. Add in the broth, pumpkin, beans (drain), jalapeño, potatoes, and kale. Stir in the oregano, cayenne, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. 

4. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then add zucchini and squash. If using butternut, you may want to wait until potatoes are almost done. Then simmer for 10 more minutes or until potatoes are tender.










5. Add salt and garnish with chopped onions, cilantro and tortilla chips.










RECIPE: Mexican Pumpkin Soup
Time: About an hour
Serves 12-15

Ingredients:
1 large ONION chopped
1 to 1 ½ pounds of pork or chicken CHORIZO sausage
5-6 cloves of GARLIC, peeled and finely chopped
6 cups organic vegetable broth
6 cups pureed cooked Pumpkin or 3 cans of PUMPKIN
2-3, 16-ounce cans of BEANS (Black, Pinto, Kidney or Red)
1 rounded tablespoon seeded diced JALAPENO
3 cups of chopped SWEET POTATOES
1 cup KALE, chopped (gotta have some greens)
1 1/2 tablespoons dried OREGANO
¾ teaspoon CUMIN
3 tablespoons of the Spice Hunter CHILI POWDER Blend (It’s the best chili powder that I’ve found), but any chili powder will do
Pinch of CAYENNE
3 cups of ZUCCHINI and/or squash
Himalayan salt to taste

Method:

1.    Heat a large stock pot -sauté chorizo and onions over medium heat until the onions soften. If using pre-cooked sausage, add it in step 3.

2.    Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until sausage is lightly browned.

3.    Add in the broth, pumpkin, beans, jalapeño, potatoes, and kale. Stir in the oregano, cayenne, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.

4.    Simmer for about 20 minutes, then add zucchini and squash. If using butternut, you may want to wait until potatoes are almost done. Then simmer for 10 more minutes or until potatoes are tender.

5.    Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

6.    Add salt to taste, and serve immediately with garnish.

GARNISH OPTIONS:

Cilantro

Green Onions
White or Red Onions
Dices Tomatoes
Diced Jalapeño
Corn Tortilla Chips
Cheese
Sour Cream


Serve with:

Mixed green salad with diced avocado, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and Cilantro Crack Sauce for the dressing.