I got the Taylor Swift CD last week and seriously, I can’t stop. It’s not even funny. I’m plugged in at the grocery store, there was an embarassing moment in an aisle of Target where someone totally caught me dancing to the song “Holy Ground”, and my poor roommates probably know the songs by heart because I’ve been blasting it while cooking, which is pretty much all I do. My friend, Melinda, even tried to stage an intervention by giving me a TON of new CDs and while I’ve given them a quick listen, I make it about 30 minutes before switching back to Taylor Swift.
This is a problem. Halloween in TOMORROW. I should be listening to a halloween playlist. I even have one made up! But nooo…I keep listening to “We are never, ever, ever getting back together” ad nauseam and wondering if Taylor Swift is trying to give me relationship advice through her music.
Seriously…I need help…
BUT, even if my music life is in shambles, I am totally prepped for Halloween, food-wise. I made a huge pot of this pumpkin cranberry soup for lunch this week. Check in tomorrow, too. I may be posting a cupcake recipe that I should have given you today but totally forgot to photograph. Fail…
Pumpkin Cranberry Soup
veganized from The New England Soup Factory Cookbook by Marjorie Druker. (seriously…buy this book)
found on-line at Food.com
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries (or 1/2 c. cranberry sauce or 1/2 cup dried cranberries)*
- 3 tablespoons Earth Balance or other vegan butter
- 1/2 large Spanish onion, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 pound of fresh, uncooked pumpkin or butternut squash, cubed (Do you even need to ask which I used? Butternut Squash Addict!)
- 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1.5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup cashew cream (or 1/2 c. silken tofu or 1/2 c. heavy vegan cream)**
- salt and pepper, to taste
- pepitas for toppings
* The recipe called for dried cranberries but I couldn’t find them so I used fresh. I didn’t think this gave the recipe a ton of cranberry flavor so next time I will definitely use sauce
** Cashew cream = 1/2 c. raw cashews blended with 1/2 c. water until smooth. I like this because I feel it has a more neutral taste then vegan cream and I always have cashews, as opposed to silken tofu. All these options will work though.
Directions:
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If you are using dried cranberries, place the cranberries in a glass or ceramic bowl and 1/2 c. water. Cover the bowl and let the cranberries soak at least 2 hours or overnight.
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In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and saute 5 minutes.
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Add the fresh pumpkin/butternut squash and saute for another 5 minutes
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Add the canned pumpkin, stock, brown sugar, maple syrup and nutmeg and bring to a boil.
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Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 30 minutes or until fresh pumpkin/butternut squash is fork tender
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Remove from heat, add cranberries (or cranberry sauce) and puree or blend until creamy. (I used a immersion blender)
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Add the cashew cream and stir until incorporated
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Season with salt and pepper and stir well. Top with Pepita seeds!
I know a lot of people don’t like blended soup. It sort of has the consistency of baby food so I get it. I love adding seeds and nuts on top of blended soup for some crunch, which helps with the texture thing.
This soup is so warm and comforting. I had a huge bowl of it while I was camped out during Hurricane Sandy and it was perfect. It’s thick and hearty and I love all the Fall flavors.
Also… Halloween mini-sized candies don’t count calories-wise, right? Cause I may have had about a bajillion Monday while camped out on my couch riding out the hurricane and watching Dexter season 6 and 7. Please tell me you have seen this show! I’m so obsessed right now!
Also… download this song so when you see me dancing like a weirdo in Target you can join me and we can be weird together. Awesome!
wickedvegan.com 