Pumpkin Soup: A Creamy Vegan Detox Meal

Pumpkin soup forms a thick and creamy dish filled with the natural flavours of Pumpkin and spinach. With pumpkin being the major ingredient, the soup offers many health benefits. In addition, this vegan dish requires very few ingredients and can be easily prepared in time for a perfect detox meal. when eaten moderately, it’s gentle on the stomach and helps to balance Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Furthermore, pumpkin and spinach soup serves as a nutritious meal and is filled with Vitamin A,m and iron which help improve immunity and fight infections. Let’s see how it’s prepared.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin (cooked or baked): 2 cups
• Vegetable stock or warm water: 2 cups or as needed
• Fennel seeds 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Fresh ginger (grated)1 tsp
• Prunes (chopped into small pieces) 8-10 (optional)
• Spinach leaves 1 cup
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper (optional) to taste

Preparation ( Method )

1. Cook or bake the pumpkin until soft, and blend it into a smooth, loose paste using a food processor by adding vegetable stock or warm water.
2. In another pan, dry roast fennel seeds and cumin seeds until aromatic. Add boiling water or vegetable stock and grated ginger, and let it simmer briefly.
3. Add chopped prunes and cook for a couple of minutes.
4. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Season with salt and black pepper as required.
5. Bring the soup to a gentle boil for a few minutes.
6. Add spinach leaves, stir well, and turn off the heat.
7. Serve warm. You can eat by itself or with bread, rice or quinoa.

Things to note

1. Black pepper, garlic and onion are optional. I don’t use garlic and onion most of the time
2. You can make a similar soup with sweet potato or carrot or a combination of them!
3. Instead of cooking by boiling, you can cook the pumpkin with onion and other ingredients (except broth) in the oven. Once cooked, mash in a food processor by adding water or broth.