Dark Days #6: Pumpkin Curry Soup

so i missed the last two weeks of the Dark Days Challenge. i think if i missed any more the project would be dead in the water, so i am pushing myself to complete the challenge this holiday week.

there is nothing more cold-weather than a hot bowl of soup.
this winter so far i have already made tomato soup, lentil soup, cream of broccoli soup and cream celeriac soup. two of these were Dark Days meals. i have mixed feelings about this. am i using soup as a crutch? well, a crutch: a thing used for support or reassurance. my pumpkin curry soup got me through a hard spot of Dark Days meals, so i'll concede it to be a crutch and be thankful for it.

...of course this means that my meal next week better be no less than awesome.

pumpkin curry soup
8 cups chopped fresh pumpkin (about 3 pounds)
4 cups vegetable broth
3 small tart apples, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tsp. curry powder (or to taste)
1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cayenne
pinch of cumin

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine all ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until pumpkin and apples are tender.
Blend using a stick immersion blender, garnish with roasted/salted pumpkin seeds.

it was spicy—! but delicious. and i have to admit that i felt like i was cheating since i used a slow cooker.

but i didn't, because all the ingredients (save for the broth, spices and the pumpkin seeds). the apples came from davis farms and everything else came from sarah's. i actually planted, ho'ed and harvested the pumpkin which i made into this delicious soup. i have to say that feels nice.