pumpkin-sweet potato-carrot-peanut soup

the name is a mouthful. but this soup is an amazing blend of three excellent, orange food sources of beta-carotene. vitamin a is super important for skin health. and a perfect blend of fall flavors, just right for september.

not the best project for a day when you are short on time, but it makes a lot of soup, so the prep time is well worth it. i put a container in the freezer to thaw out later, and the rest filled up much of a 2-liter (!!) pitcher in the fridge.

if you’re not into p.b., sub a nut butter of your choice. this is inspired by two recipes, from Cheap. Fast. Good! by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross and Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites by the Moosewood Collective.

peanut sauce (makes 1 and 1/4 cups):
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon molasses (spray your tablespoon first with canola spray!)
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
soup:
1 large sweet potato, scrubbed
1 can pure pumpkin
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon olive (or other) oil
1/2 teaspoon each of sea salt, cinnamon, turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (like almond or coconut)

prep:
bake the sweet potato wrapped in foil in the oven at 375 F for up to 1 and 1/2 hours. (i intentionally overcooked to make it extra soft for blending).  meanwhile, start on:

part 1: the peanut sauce.
in a blender, blend all ingredients until well-combined. set aside.

part 2: the soup- begin when your potato is almost done baking, with 15-20 minutes left.  
1. simmer the carrots on medium-high in 2 cups broth and 1/2 cup water, stirring occasionally. you want them to be soft and cooked through- at least 20 minutes.
2. meanwhile, in a skillet heated to medium, add oil and sauté onion with sea salt, cinnamon, turmeric, and cumin.
3. in a blender or food processor, purée the potato in 1 and 1/2 cups broth with the cooked onion and spices. you may need to take a spoon and stir up un-blended potato from the bottom. pour this purée into a large soup pot on medium-low (this soup is not about speed. cooking it on higher heat will only make it splatter out of your pot!). stir in the pumpkin.
4. purée the cooked carrots in the remaining 1/2 cup broth. again, you may need to use a spoon to help it get fully blended. add this to the pot.
5. whisk into the pot: peanut sauce, milk, and 1 and 1/2 cups water. continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened and combined to an even consistency.

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