Sunday, October 4, 2009

Using Recipes for Creamy Pumpkin Soups to Make Great Fall Meals

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 one reason that so many people have begun to pay attention to when and where their food is produced. After all, in season, produce tastes better, plus it is better for you, too. It can be frustrating to need to wait for your favorite foods to be ready, but the taste and quality of these foods is worth it.

Once you realize that the foods you eat in season are the foods that taste best, you will give up on eating them at the wrong times of year. After all, most of us do not really like winter peaches. Try foods when they are meant to grow, and realize what a difference in taste that makes.

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.

This big orange squash relative is great roasted, sliced thin and sauteed with other vegetables, and makes wonderful soups, too. Recipes for creamy pumpkin soups offer a rich addition to your table that does not have to be too sweet. The flavors of roasted garlic and strong cheeses combine well with pumpkin, as do spices normally considered "sweet," like ginger and clove.

Take the time to be a little adventurous, and you will be surprised by the results. Pumpkin soups and stews can make your fall dinners a lot more interesting. Pumpkin chili adds a sweet note to go with your cornbread and salsa. Pumpkin curry is wonderful over rice or Asian style noodles. The possibilities are almost endless!

Many of us are tired of having the same old thing, day after day. If you agree, seasonal eating, including great recipes for pumpkin soup, might be the right choice for you. Check out your options this fall and experience the difference.

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