Orange Curried Pumpkin Soup To Fight the Allergic Blues

picture taken one-handed while
holding Baby 

I spent the morning at Whole Foods with a new set of allergic criteria to keep in mind for meal and baking planning.  Yesterday, we confirmed avocado and wheat allergy for Baby Brother.  Of course, I have been a little wound up.  I find that taking my stress to the kitchen and making a little bit of a mess is how I deal with new allergic findings.  I have already made a batch of quinoa flour and molasses cookies and now I write as allergic Baby Brother naps and my Thermomix cooks up a batch of Curried Pumpkin soup. I love making soups and coconut curries with my CSA veggies and the Saturday morning goodies we regularly get at Urban Harvest.

Today's soup is my typical butternut squash/pumpkin soup, but inspired by the Naturally Nourished Ocotober Newlsetter from Urban Harvest Market.  The author, a local regsitered dietician, describes her curried pumpkin soup as "your food-as-medicine prescription".

Next time, I'll experiment with polenta croutons as a way around the typical sprouted whole wheat ones 've been making until now.  Perhaps with some Thermomix GF Foccacia? That is on my to-do list.  I'm even thinking that some Terra Chips wouldn't be bad on top.  But just not the Mediterranean variety of Terra Chips, they have sesame oil!

A little "ode to my Thermomix": Entire soup prepared start to finish all in my Thermomix bowl!  One bowl to clean, besides the cutting board! And a delicious and nutritious lunch to enjoy before Baby Brother wakes up from nap.  I can always serve in a mug if need be and enjoy while he plays.  

Allergy note:  Baby has his own chopping board, the Epicurean to be exact. I chopped up the butternut squash on his chopping board and the rest of the ingredients on my daily everyday use board.  Baby's board is only used for the foods eaten and tolerated up until now.

What to use and What to do: 

Place small onion and small nub of ginger into TM bowl and chop for 5 second on speed 7

Add tbsp coconut oil with tablespoon curry powder and extra dash of turmeric.
Sauté 3 minutes at 100 on speed 1

Add in 500-600 grams butternut squash, carrot, celery, apple.  Chop 15 seconds speed 7

Add combination, whatever you have on hand really, of 500 grams of TM homemade chicken stock/bone broth and/or canned coconut milk (carton kind has carrageenan and I don't know if I want my family eating that. click on and will direct you to ordering by case on Amazon). You can always make your own coconut milk in your Thermomix. Throw in a bay leaf or two along with some cilantro (could add the cilantro stems with the onion and ginger in first step).  Cook for 20 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1.  

Remove bay leaf, add handful spinach or kale.  You can add a little more coconut milk if desired along with a few tablespoons of raw, unfiltered honey/maple syrup).  

Blend for one minute going from speed 1-9, or until you reach desired consistency. Garnish with some basil, cilantro or chives/scallions.  Great way to use roasted squash or pumpkin seeds.