Originally used as food for cattle and livestock, pumpkins have become a quintessential ingredient in many harvest feasts. Here’s a delectable way to enrich your fall cuisine with this savory fruit, and make good use of the leftovers from last night’s chicken and rice dinner.
Pumpkin Soup with Chicken and Rice
You will need:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 can/ 15 oz of pure pumpkin
- 1 cup milk
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, de-boned and skinned
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup prepared brown rice
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Directions:
- In a large kettle over medium heat, whisk together the milk and pumpkin. Slowly stir in the chicken stock until well blended.
- Cut chicken in large chunks; add to kettle.
- Drop in the sprigs of thyme, celery, and onion.
- Stir in the rice. Heat until simmering.
- Continue to simmer over low heat for approximately 10 minutes. Carefully remove the thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot with wholegrain bread and/or pumpkin flower garnish (see below).
Makes 4 generous servings.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator; just make sure you label it with your name as soup this good will quickly disappear.
Few people are aware that pumpkin flowers are actually edible. Here’s a quick snack you can make to surprise your guests or to use as a garnish: Gather 6-8 fresh picked pumpkin flowers, dip them in ordinary pancake batter, then deep fry in hot oil 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain the fried blossoms on paper towels and serve while they are still hot. The outsides are crispy and delicious, while the inside stays soft and sweet.
Most everyone knows pumpkins make perfect fall decorations and are quite tasty in pies, but they are often overlooked for their nutritious qualities. The bright orange color of pumpkin is due to it being loaded with the valuable antioxidant, beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Studies have shown that a diet rich in beta-carotene containing foods may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, and may help provide protection against some degenerative aspects of aging such as weakening vision.
While it is in season feel free to use fresh pumpkin, just remove the seeds and peel, then boil it down and mash it like you would potatoes. Since canned pumpkin is readily available at your local grocery store, this hearty and delicious soup can be prepared all year round for a healthy, heart-warming meal.
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