Orange Vegetable Soup with Chicken

Oh my goodness! Remember my Red Vegetable soup? Well, this is a similar version of that but with some fall flair and flavor. I used pumpkin!! I am so glad that pumpkin is now on the shelves, since I have been known to eat it out of a can for dinner. But when I make something like this, I don't have to do that. The symphony of vegetables and fall spices (cinnamon) really comes together in this soup. It is so filling and nourishing, but surprisingly light on calories.

Real food soup. Real foodies rejoice!

Both soups look orange, so don't be confused even though I named one soup 'red' and another 'orange.'

Orange Vegetable Soup

1 bag organic baby carrots or half bag large carrots

2 small golden sweet potatoes or yams

2 large red peppers

1 - 29 oz can Libby's pumpkin

4 cups chicken stock (I used Pacific brand)

1 - 10 oz can of dark/white chicken

kelp flakes

cinnamon

black pepper

garlic powder

Yes it's that easy.

To make your soup:

1) Throw all the veggies, minus the pumpkin, with the chicken stock into your favorite crock-pot. Simmer on high until vegetables are soft. Puree with hand blender.

2) Add in pumpkin and spices, blend again.

3) Add chicken and stir.

4) Simmer until all warm and bubbly and you're ready to eat!

5) Serve piping hot with some real grassfed butter on top and enjoy.

Of course, if you have either real homemade chicken stock, roasted chicken and real pumpkin, then go ahead and use that. Being at college I have to use what I can, and sometimes canned is a good option! If you can eat wheat, why not serve in a homemade sourdough bread bowl or with some toasted cinnamon pita chips? This soup is a good option for dipping! In the past I made roast chicken, and dipped the chicken meat into the soup before putting it in my mouth. So delicious!

Color contrasts of fall!

Lastly, a word of caution. If you have a plastic hand blender please exercise common sense. I actually ended up melting my hand blenders puree attachment a bit by not being particularly careful about watching out for the sides and bottoms of the crockpot which are scalding hot! In other words, don't be like me and melt your kitchen appliances. The thing is still useable though, thankfully, and I won't have to repurchase one. And also, (more embarassment) I also scratched the bottom of my crock-pot. Poor Cleo now has some battle scars, and from his very first soup!

We all need a good nourishing fall soup. Try it out and let me know what you think!