New England Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 2 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock or 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 slices whole wheat bread, without crusts
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

Recipe

• 1 heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and gently fry 4 to 5 minutes or until softened.
• 2 stir in the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and pumpkin; cover and cook gently for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 3 pour in the chicken stock, orange juice and brown sugar.
• 4 cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the pumpkin has softened.
• 5 meanwhile, make the croutons.
• 6 heat the oil in a frying pan, cut the whole wheat bread sliced into cubes and fry gently until just brown - add the sunflower seeds and fry for an additional 1 to 2 minutes; drain the croutons and sunflower seed on a papper towel.
• 7 return to soup.
• 8 pour only half of the soup mixture into a blender or food processor and process until smooth; return soup to the saucepan.
• 9 season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired and heat through.
• 10 serve the soup hot garnished with a few of the croutons and sunflower seeds sprinkled over the top.
• 11 enjoy!