Secret Ingredients
- 1 (14 -16 ounce) can pumpkin puree (using roasted squash really enhances the flavor) or 1 (14 -16 ounce) can freshly roasted butternut squash (using roasted squash really enhances the flavor)
- 3 cups homemade vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup small red potato, diced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, seeded, membrane removed, diced (okay to use another color)
- 1/4 cup celery, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, peeled and diced (my addition)
- 3 tablespoons smooth cashew butter or 3 tablespoons pumpkin seed butter
- 1 firm but ripe banana, sliced into small pieces
- 1 small apple, peeled, seeded and diced
- Salt
- Ground red pepper, to taste (paprika or cayenne)
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Roasted pumpkin seeds
- Pumpkin seed pesto sauce (read note)
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Directions
- Place all ingredients except for banana, apple and paprika, in a stock pot. Cover, cook on low-medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Add banana, apple and paprika last 5 minutes of cooking. Heat through. Once heated, puree soup if desired.
- (If using fresh squash, you probably will have to puree the soup using an immersion blender to make the consistency smoother.).
- Just before serving, season soup with salt to taste.
- Garnish with cilantro leaves and pumpkin seeds. Or, if you wish, garnish each serving with a swirl of pesto made with pumpkin seeds. Note: Use any standard pesto recipe, substituting pumpkin seeds. *NOTE: [[However, most pesto recipes do contain cheese-omit the cheese if you wish.]].
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