Savory Pumpkin, Potato, and Carrot Soup, Christmas Stuff Earlier Each Year

Hi Friends!  How has your week been so far?  It got super nice here after a couple weeks of cooler temps and rain.  As in, yesterday it was in the mid 80s and hot and today looks like more of that.  I went for a run in my sports bra and shorts.  I love the warm weather and crystal clear blue skies.  No complaints from me!

Because the weather had been cooling off, I have been on a soup and chili making kick.  (Speaking of things to do, does anyone need an end table?  CSNstores.com have got you covered if you do).

With the soups and chili making kick I’ve been on, sometimes I make them in my Crock Pot, and sometimes I just make them on the stovetop.   I never buy ingredients especially for whatever soup or chili I am going to make; I just use up what I have around.  Today’s use-it-up Soup Recipe is as follows:

Savory Pumpkin, Potato, and Carrot Soup
1 can pumpkin puree (I know you pumpkin hoarders have this on hand)
1 can beans (I used red kidney but whatever you have)
1 large or 2 small potatoes, diced
1/3 c carrots, diced
1/4 c ketchup
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Chipotle Blend
1 Tbsp Cumin
2 Tbsp Salt, or to taste
2 Tbsp Sugar, or to taste, or omit
4 c water, or to taste

Add everything into a pot

Pour the water in

Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, slightly covered, for about 45 minutes or until desired done-ness level.   If the soup gets too thick for your liking, add more water.  Try to stir it during those 45 minutes, but if you forget like I did, not a biggie.  A few potatoes may stick to the bottom. Oh well.

This soup was a hit with the family, even though none of us are huge pumpkin fans, we all liked it!  It’s got a nice pumpkin flavor but is not overpowering because of the other savory spices used.  Definitely a keeper.   If I ever have the same ingredients on hand, I’ll make it again.  Who knows when I’ll have pumpkin on hand again.  I could always borrow some from Katie or Holly.  I know they have plenty.

If you missed my Hearty Vegan Sweet & Spicy Southwestern Soup, check that one out.  It’s very similar to today’s recipe.

And there was also my Vegan Chili

From yesterday’s post about my Trip to the Pumpkin Patch with Skylar, thanks for your sweet comments.  It truly was the kind of day that is what parenthood is all about, as I mentioned.

And thanks for sharing your favorite holiday memories.  I loved hearing them all!   Christmas and Thanksgiving memories were the most popular ones you told me about.

Dessert:  Raw Vegan Coconut Oil Chocolate

Questions
1. I think that pumpkin recipes + the blogosphere go hand in hand.  What are your fave uses for pumpkin?
I dedicated an entire post a month ago to my recipes using pumpkin, so check that out if you missed it and hit me up with your latest favorites you may have seen or tried, or old-standbys.   

2. Are you sick of pumpkin yet?
I think most everyone is sick of hearing about pumpkin recipes, unless you’re a diehard pumpkin fan like Anna, Mama Pea, or Katie.  This was actually my first, new, pumpkin-based recipe of this season, so I am entitled on this one…haha!   

 I’m ready to move on to mint I think.  I know those peppermint lattes are just weeks away from surfacing….


3. Have you noticed that Christmas stuff just keeps coming out earlier and earlier in the stores and in general?  
As a little girl, I remember the month of November, basically shortly before Thanksgiving was “fair game” for Christmas talk and merchandise, carols, etc. to make an appearance.

As I got have gotten older, any time after Halloween seems to have become fair game.

In mid-October, not even Halloween, two full months before Christmas, and was already starting!  I noticed this on my shopping trips for FoodBuzz attire.

I feel like this early start plays into mass consumerism; buying things just to buy them, and it’s sending materialistic messages to kids and adults for 20-25% of the year, i.e. buy, buy, buy, spend, spend, spend, for Christmas and Holiday gifts.

I love the winter holiday season.  It’s great, it’s fun, the religious message is present for us (both Christmas and Chaunkah in our house) but the earlier start for it all, every year, is a bit much for me.

What do you think about this?


4. Are you having an Indian Summer where you are?
It sure is warm and lovely here!  A far cry from being blizzard’ed out on Halloween when I was a kid and not able to even go trick or treating or had to wear a huge coat and cover up the beloved costume.  I’m sure Katie, Holly, and Holly remember a few of those!