Weight Watcher Wednesday: Pumpkin Soup

Can you believe it?- a very busy week and here I am, posting on time!  Wahoo.

I picked up this Cinderella pumpkin in the fall.  I love to go crazy over pumpkins and butternut squash.  The people at the market probably think I am crazy, squirreling away all those squashes.  They freeze perfectly and if it keeps me from paying outrageous prices for them at the grocery store then hey I am all for it.

It's a very beautiful pumpkin.  Looks like Cinderella's carriage really.

The seeds were excellent too.  I found a new way to roast them.  You soak the seeds in salted water for 24 hours, drain  and then roast them.  Lots of flavor!

This is a really simple soup and I tend to really get into flavorful soups- one of my absolute favorites is the Thai pumpkin soup and the Olan Stew/Indian soup (yes I have made it wtih both butternut and pumpkin)I make.  Recently I tried some pumpkin soup with smoked gouda and bacon- to die for really- thanks S!  It was totally delicious.

PUMPKIN SOUP

Light and comforting at the same time

2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans solid packed pumpkin or roughly four cups pumpkin puree
1 quart water
1 cup milk, 2%
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and cook, stirring often until very soft, about 8 minutes. Once they are translucent, add pumpkin, water, milk, syrup, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking often. Flavors are always better the next day after it has time to meld.

This is about 800 calories for the entire recipe depending on what percent milk you use, etc.  Divided into eight portions will give you about 100 calories.  Each serving will be a little over a cup.