This winter comfort food that everyone can enjoy! Pumpkin is a nutritional superstar: it’s low in calories, high in fiber, and provides more than double your daily dose of Vitamin A in just one serving. Plus it tastes great! I’ve replaced the butter, milk, and cream you’ll find in many pumpkin soup recipes with coconut milk and coconut oil. These ingredients give the soup its richness and creaminess. The coconut flavor also pairs nicely with the pumpkin – it’s subtle and not overly sweet. I love adding bay leaf to this soup. It works as a flavor booster for pumpkin, making the soup taste somehow taste more pumpkin-y. Be sure to use the dried bay leaves from the spice aisle, not the fresh ones you sometimes find in the fresh produce section. Fresh bay leaves are a different variety and don’t have the same effect. I recommend taking the time to sauté the diced vegetables and aromatics at the beginning of cooking. This helps give the finished soup more flavor. This said, if you’re in a hurry or you don’t want to make extra dirty dishes, it’s fine to just throw everything in the slow cooker. Your soup will still be delicious. If you’d like, you can make your own pumpkin puree by roasting a baking pumpkin, scooping out the insides, and pureeing the flesh. This recipe can also be made on the stovetop. Simmer the soup for about a half an hour before pureeing. Add the ginger, garlic, and bay leaves and sauté for another couple of minutes.
