Pumpkin Bean Soup

Is it just me or is everyone really going nuts over fall's arrival this year?  Like all other seasons, you can't tell the difference here in Hawaii.  That's mostly a good thing, since it never gets cold, but it's also a boring thing.  I have other "mainland" friends here in Hawaii who feel the same way - that we're missing out on the seasons changing!  There's no crisp smell to the air or changing colors to note the arrival of fall, no excitement over the first snow of the year, and no pressure/excitement of shopping for new clothes for the upcoming season.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, just saying that without a calendar it's hard to tell what time of year it is.

That said, I do my best to fake the seasons for my own enjoyment.  Decorating my apartment, scented candles, movies, and making season-appropriate foods are always the best way!  Sunday morning I watched the Steelers game at a restaurant, as I do every week.  When I got home I was inspired to cook and was prepared to make a fall-ish recipe I'd been looking at all week: Pumpkin Bean Soup.

Aloha: Yinz Mangia is the name of this blog, yes, but it's also a description of me!  Hawaii - Pittsburgh - Italy.  That day I was encompassing all three at once: cooking in my apartment (in Hawaii), wearing my Steelers jersey (Pittsburgh), and watching listening to and taking peeks at the Godfather part 2 (Italy).

This recipe is by far the easiest I've made and posted to date.

Pumpkin Bean Soup

1 - 15 ounce can of pumpkin 

     (Please note: I have a 29 ounce can and only used half.) 

1 - 14 ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk 

     (Another note: a can of coconut milk is not easy to find!  Coconut milk is different from coconut water, of course.  There's also something called Coconut Milk Drink in a carton.  I guess that's like Orange Drink at MCD? Anyways, go to the aisle that says "Canned Milk" and find it there.  I just saved you 11 minutes, you're welcome!)

1 - 15 ounce can of cannellini beans 

     (These also called "white kidney beans".  This can was 19 ounces so I reserved approximately 25% of the beans and used them in a hummus recipe, I'll post that soon too!)

1 - 14 ounce can of broth (I chose beef)

Ground black pepper (not pictured)

Lime juice (not pictured)

Now, get your can opener ready!

Drain and rinse the beans.

I love Libby for canning all the pumpkin and making the fall so yummy!

This was my first experience with coconut milk and it seemed really strange how thick and pasty it was on top.  You'll see in the other pictures below that all the liquid was at the bottom and came out in a yucky looking mess.

This recipe is so easy, hold on to your pot holders!  Combine the pumpkin...

...the coconut milk (I told you it was messy!)...

...the beans...

...and the broth.  Heat through and season with salt, plenty of fresh cracked pepper, and lime juice.

 

SOUPer easy to make!  The color is so beautiful and the soup tastes delicious, too!  It's slightly sweet and the lime juice brings out the flavors perfectly.  Its consistency is not too thick and not too watery and the beans give it a great little bite.  It's truly unlike any other soup I've had before.  I highly recommend making this for your friends and serving it in a fancy soup bowl without telling them how easy it was to make, then sit back and enjoy the compliments!

 

Stay tuned because I plan to get creative with the remaining pumpkin!  I tried this "non-dessert recipe" for a change, but have 2 bricks of cream cheese and chocolate chips in my fridge waiting to jump in with the pumpkin!  Any guesses?