Roasted Pumpkin and Coconut Cream – yellow and mellow – like my sun from yesterday. I also added coconut milk, which gives it a velvety consistency and a very rich flavor. And ginger, parsley and a splash of lemon for a fresh twist. Et Voilà, such a healthy bite!

Yeah! The sun came back after almost three weeks of steady rain. Düsseldorf is bright and beautiful again. So I was inspired by the sun and made this soup out of a roasted pumpkin, 1 carrot, 2 potatoes and 1 leek to show my appreciation for the quick return of summer. I so hope it’s going to last for a while.

Coming from Romania, I am very familiar with roasted pumpkin as it’s a staple in many households. I still remember those days when my mom was baking pumpkin pie over and over again as it was one of her favorite sweet treats, but I wasn’t appreciating the good stuff back then. I was a stubborn kid that wanted only French fries topped with cheese. And look at me now how nuts I go with all the goodies.

Pumpkin might be a modest vegetable, but it’s very low in calories and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. However, pumpkin is rich in dietary fiber, which means they help lower cholesterol, prevent digestive disorders and balance blood sugar. Pumpkin is a store house of many anti-oxidants and vitamins A, C and E. The vegetable is one of the food items recommended by dietitians in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs.

Preparation Pumpkin

Some of the pumpkin varieties are usually subjected to insecticide powder or spray. Therefore, wash them thoroughly under running water in order to remove dust, soil and any residual insecticides/fungicides.
Cut the stem end and slice the whole fruit into two equal halves. Remove central net like structure and set the seeds aside. Then cut the flesh into the desired sizes. I personally prefer small cubes.

Preparation Pumpkin Seeds

If you give my recipe a shot, you must also save the pumpkin seeds because they are so much healthier than the ones you buy at the store as they won”t have any additives and are very easy to roast.

Here are a few steps to follow in order to get the best ones:
1. After removing the seeds from the pumpkin, wipe them off with paper towel.
2. Then place them on paper bag and let them dry overnight.
3. Transfer the seeds to a tray, lightly oiled, and spread them out in one single layer.
4. Roast the seeds for about 15 to 20 minutes at about 160ºC (~320ºF). Take note that roasting them for a short time at a low temperature helps to preserve their healthy oils.
Even though peeling the pumpkin made me work a little bit, my roasted pumpkin and coconut cream is delicious and hits the spot, regardless of your nationality.

Learn from my mistake and don’t peel the pumpkin before roasted as the pumpkins can be hollowed out easily with a spoon. Can’t wait to hear what you think! :)

I guess that you have probably tried lots of pumpkin soups throughout the year, but this one is another recipe worth trying.