spicy coconut pumpkin soup.

I should forwarn all of you, that if you aren't a fan of pumpkin, squash, and other fall namesakes like that, you may shy away from this blog in the coming weeks.  Not to say that everything will be all squash all the time (I'm not a one trick pony), but I am currently like a dog with a cone on my head and all I can see and want to use is the aforementioned squash.  I am gravitating towards it at the farmers market and then turning it into breakfast sweets, pies, and pizza. It's getting a little insane and I am totally ok with that.    
This soup was made a couple of Sundays ago when the weather was so crisp and brisk that it practically screamed soup and sweaters.  The thing I love about this particular recipe is that if you already have puree ready, the whole thing comes together in well under 30 minutes (hooray!).  It's an incredibly complex tasting soup, the combination of sweet pumpkin with creamy coconut milk and spices creates an absurdly rich and intense dish. The lime juice brings a necessary level of accidity and really ties everything together so that you are left with a bowl of the most well-rounded soup ever.  Serving it with wedges of toasty pita ensures you get every last drop in your mouth (and trust me you want to scoop up every last drop).  

Spicy Coconut Pumpkin Soup

Recipe adapted from Love and Lemons

Makes 3 Servings (Which makes it great for dinner and lunch for 1 the next day!)

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced finely
1 tablespoon red curry paste or Sriracha (I was out of curry paste so I subbed Sriracha in and found it to work great and more convenient since most people have that in the fridge already)
1 - 2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 ¾  cups of pumpkin (or butternut squash) puree (recipe for how to make it can be found here)
½  can coconut milk, full fat
2 cups veggie or chicken broth
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste

Toasted pita and pumpkin seeds for serving (optional)

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the coconut oil.  Add the minced garlic, curry paste (or Sriracha) and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the pumpkin/squash puree, coconut milk, broth, maple syrup, juice of half a lime, and a pinch of cayenne.  Turn the heat down to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.  Taste and add the juice of the other half a lime if you find it needs it, as well as salt, pepper, and more cayenne (I always add more cayenne since I like the extra heat with the squash/pumpkin). 

Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of coconut milk and a pinch of cayenne on top along with the pumpkin seeds if you are using them as well.