Cinnamon Pumpkin Soup

This is a slow cooker meal for the days when you want dinner handled without much hands-on time. The pumpkin, apple, and vegetables go in, you leave it alone for a few hours, then blend it smooth into something warm, naturally sweet, and forgiving.

There is real nourishment in the bowl. Pumpkin is an orange vegetable and a source of beta-carotene, which the body uses to make vitamin A, involved in immune and mucosal health. The chicken broth base adds minerals and a little protein, and the apples sweeten the soup without any added sugar. Cinnamon, ginger, clove, and mace warm it through.

This is whole food doing quiet work over a few unhurried hours. When you ladle it out, let the bowl be beautiful, and take a moment before the first spoonful. A warm soup eaten slowly, with a settled body, lands differently than one eaten standing at the counter.

Ingredients

• 1 small pie pumpkin, peeled and chopped (or canned pure pumpkin)
• 2 small red apples, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• pinch ground cloves
• pinch ground mace

The source recipe is AIP-friendly as written. Worth noting: it uses mace in place of nutmeg, which is the right call, since mace is permitted on AIP and nutmeg is a seed-spice to avoid. Clove is also permitted. If fresh pie pumpkin prep feels like too much on a tired day, canned pure pumpkin works fine and makes this nearly effortless.

Method

• Put the pumpkin, apples, celery, carrots, onion, and chicken broth into the slow cooker. Add the ginger, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and mace.
• Cook on low for about 3 hours, until the pumpkin and vegetables are fully tender.
• Blend until smooth, working in batches if your blender is small, and take care with the hot liquid. Serve warm.

Instant Pot variation

The Instant Pot gives you both paths. For the same hands-off result, use the slow-cook setting on low for about 3 hours, then blend. When you are short on time, add everything to the pot and pressure cook on high for roughly 8 to 10 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes before blending. If you like, soften the onion with the saute function right in the pot first, then add the rest. Confirm the pumpkin is fully tender before blending and adjust the time on your next batch.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*