Not your pumpkin spice

The ordinary arts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest. ~Thomas Moore

Her own photo.

As Fall approaches the weather gets cold here in the Northwest.  Everything seems to be turning orange. (sunsets, leaves, pumpkins) :) My daughter grew her first pumpkin this year, and it is the deepest color orange I have ever seen in a pumpkin.

One of my favorite recipes that I like to make this time of year is this recipe for Thai coconut pumpkin soup!  This is my own recipe for this soup and I make it every year. (sometimes more then once) You probably can find a better version of it, but this one is really simple and always good.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
~Melody Beattie

Thai coconut pumpkin soup

Organic vegetable or chicken broth 3 or 4 cups

1 small baking pumpkin cubed and insides removed.

(save the seeds for roasting with a little olive oil and sea salt)

I can coconut milk

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 stalks lemon grass

1 sweet potato or 3 red potatoes cubed

3 carrots chopped

! small onion chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

ginger root

Thai basil (important)

cilantro

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp. turmeric and curry (curry paste if you like it spicy)

A pinch of sea salt and pepper to taste

2 chicken breasts cooked and chopped (not for vegetarian/vegan)

~

Finely shred garlic, lemon grass and 1 tbsp. ginger set aside.

Simmer stock with chopped pumpkin, onion, carrots, potatoes and celery.(add a little water if needed)

Add  your finely shredded garlic, lemon grass, tbsp. ginger root, turmeric, curry and 2 tbsp. of soy sauce.

Simmer on low heat until tender.(20 or 30 minutes)

Add coconut milk, cilantro and Thai basil (the more Thai basil the better about 1 or 2 cups)

Simmer 5 to 10 minutes more.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve soup with Thai basil garnish or the toasted rice noodle garnish as shown.

Toasted rice noodle garnish; heat up a little sesame seed oil in a pan and drop in a little rice noodles and toast until puffy and light brown. (noodles will be tough if under cooked)

Place garnish on soup and enjoy! :)

There is more to this season then candy and pumpkin spice!
  Good soup, cozy chair, a good book and roasted pumpkin seeds.

Now that's a good recipe!

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Remember those that are hungry this season and give to children that need it most! https://donate.worldvision.org/ways-to-give/hunger/hunger-fund