Saturday, October 10, 2009

Looking for a Recipe? Pumpkin Soup Makes Fall Meals Great

By Kc Kudra

More and more people are learning about the benefits of eating seasonally - choosing your ingredients when they're naturally in season - and how this practice can help us have better food and stay in touch with the natural world. While technological advances in agriculture mean that we can enjoy strawberries in December in the Northern Hemisphere, it does not ensure that this produce is high in quality. Everyone who has ever eaten a tough, tasteless winter tomato is aware that being able to grow it does not mean the food will be great.

This is the reason why so many of us have begun to eat our foods according to traditional seasonal availability, rather than buying the same produce year-round. Produce that has been grown during its natural growing season has better nutritional content, higher quality, and tastes a whole lot better, too. While waiting for a given food to be in season can be frustrating, it is worth it.

Once you remember that in season foods are the tastiest, you will not want to try them out of season. A peach in winter usually is not worth your time, after all. Delicious summer beets and peppers, spring spinach and lettuce, and many other foods just taste best in season.

Fall is a season that has lots of excellent choices to offer, but many of them do not get the attention they deserve. From new potatoes and fresh sweet corn at the end of summer to apples, nuts, hard winter squash, and bright orange pumpkins, there are all kinds of options. If you have been sticking to pumpkin pies made out of a can, it might be time to think about your other choices.

Pumpkins are delicious and good for you, and packed with plenty of fiber and essential vitamins. They are also simple to prepare in all kinds of dishes, both sweet and savory. Sticking to only making this great vegetable on holidays would be a mistake. It is great in so many other situations.

Try roasting pumpkins with a little oil and some fresh or dried herbs, slicing it thinly to saute with other veggies, or including it in soups. A recipe for pumpkin soup offers you a delicious addition to the table, and it does not have to be sweet. Try roasted garlic or strongly flavored cheese with your pumpkin, ginger, pepper, and many other flavors.

If you are willing to take the time to be a little more adventurous than usual, you could be in for a great surprise. Pumpkin stews and soups can make your fall dining a lot more interesting. Try all kinds of different options and be willing to experiment. It will really make a difference.

Are you sick of having the same old thing all the time? Seasonal eating might be the answer. You will find all kinds of foods you might have forgotten about, including pumpkins. Take the time to try a wonderful recipe for pumpkin soup this fall and enjoy the great new flavors.

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