Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog: Food Network's Healthy Eats: Healthy Recipes, Weight Loss Tips & Nutrition Information

The beauty of this autumn soup is its adaptability; you can easily use pears instead of apples if you prefer. This recipe makes enough to serve four people when served as an appetizer or a side dish. If you are serving a large group of people for Thanksgiving, you can scale up the recipe accordingly; try adding in a pinch of allspice for an extra kick. Making your own soup is a tasty and healthy way to blend your favorite fall fruits and veggies into your holiday meal. In this recipe, which uses fresh pumpkin, you can feel good about getting the extra dose of vitamin A and fiber in every bite. Serve this soup with gluten-free croutons or ladle it over a baked sweet potato. If you’re in the mood for some more seasonal accompaniments, sip on my Homemade Maca Apple Cider.

Pumpkin-Apple Soup

Ingredients
5 pounds pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch chunks
3 large Honey Crisp apples peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/3 cup chopped peanuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine pumpkin, apples, olive oil, sea salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread mixture evenly on a large baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes. Add sage; roast until golden brown, approximately 20 more minutes.
Working in three batches, transfer the pumpkin mixture to a blender along with 2 cups of vegetable broth; puree until smooth. Transfer to a heavy stock pot; repeat for two other batches. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer to serving bowls.
Serve with a sprinkle of crushed peanuts.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegetarian
Serves 4