Best. Soup. Ever.
As you may have noticed, I’m a big fan of raw soups. This is funny, given that traditional soups were never my favorite. Or, to be more precise, any broth based soup was never my favorite: I’ve always been partial to blended soups (root vegetable soups, for instance), which is probably why the smooth and creamy textures of most raw soups please me so much.
The recipe I’m about to share is, without a doubt, my favorite raw soup. Why? Because it’s fast, simple, and sweet enough to be rightly called dessert, yet it’s totally guilt free. This soup is also loaded with enzymes, nutrients (such as beta carotene), and natural carbohydrates; I actually recommend it to my more athletic clients and friends as a great pre-workout drink in lieu of a smoothie. Best of all, this soup incorporates one of my favorite flavors: pumpkin pie.
Yes yes, I know, this is probably the least seasonal post I’ll ever write. It’s 85 degrees here in New York, the sidewalks are littered with bare shoulders, and I slept with my AC last night. But who cares? Pumpkin pie doesn’t stop tasting good in summertime. And to be fair, this recipe doesn’t really use pumpkin: it simply borrows the flavors of the classic dish.
The original recipe for this dish appears in Natalia Rose’s Raw Food Life Force Energy. Her recipe calls for raw sweet potatoes; I usually use raw butternut squash instead, and I substitute Stevia for the original dates. The soup typically comes together in 10 minutes or less, and it never disappoints. Without further ado:
Pumpkin Pie in a Bowl (adapted from Raw Food Life Force Energy)
Serves 1 generously, 2 as a small appetizer
Ingredients:
2 cups carrot juice (fresh if possible, bottled if not)
¾ cup chopped butternut squash
¼ avocado
½-3/4 packet of stevia
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon, a small sprinkle of nutmeg, and a dash of salt
Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender till smooth and creamy (and a little warm, if you like to serve soup that way).
If you don’t have a high speed blender or Vitamix, you could substitute steamed squash for raw and use a regular blender.
Here’s the bowl I devoured on Friday:
And a shot of my meal:
It’s been a hot and industrious weekend. I hope you’ve all enjoyed some early summer weather! I have some exciting posts planned for this week, including a special round up of low-sugar desserts, my musings on restaurant dining, and my very first giveaway! So stay tuned.
Finally, and on a more somber note, I want to extend my sympathy to Jenna and her family, who are mourning the loss of Jenna’s brother, John. Jenna is in the hearts and minds of so many of us in the blogging community right now, and I hope our good wishes bring her some solace.
xo
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–Lyn D., MarylandBefore I started working with Gena, I wasn’t sure whether it would be worth it, since I knew what I “should” be doing. Her counseling, however, turned out to be a key factor in my success.
Not only does she have great advice when I am struggling, but her realistic approach helped me make major changes despite having no time and limited funds. Her recipes and ideas are for real people with lives beyond their diets, and they are great. Gena is down to earth and non-judgmental. She strikes a great balance between encouraging me to go a little father but to keep things in perspective and have fun with the process.
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FAQ
So where do you get your protein?Ah, the million dollar question. I know that my fellow raw foodists are uttering a collective sigh of frustration with me. But it’s inevitable, so here goes:
I get my protein from a wide array of vegetables, sea vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. The notion that we need to supplement our diet with large amounts of protein, especially in the form of animal products, is mistaken: our bodies are capable of assembling amino acids from all of the foods we eat and building the “complete proteins” that we’ve all been told we need to get in a single sitting.
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Recommendations
Juicer (average $50.00 - $500.00)If you’re like me, and juicing is a crucial part of your lifestyle, then the cost of a juicer will absolutely be worth it! It will buy itself back again and again and again. The juicer I recommend is the Breville Two-Speed Juice Fountain Plus. It’s the only juicer I’ve ever owned, and it has never let me down. I recommend you invest in a juicer that has at least this level of performance in order to juice leafy greens.
Some of you have asked me whether it’s wiser to buy a juicer or a Vitamix.
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Thank you so much for this post! I love the fact that the soup is sweet enough to be considered a desert. Great pictures and love your blog! We will be trying this
Hi Vegan Woman! I love to meet new readers. Thanks for the kind words — this soup is such a winner
That sounds so delicious!!!
It is!!
I love this soup also! I wondered if it was this one when I read the title in Google Reader
Hehe. Hey, Em! I think everyone is obsessed with it. Hope you’re having an awesome weekend: I plan to make your carrot soup for my Mom soon
haha, i love it! i agree, pumpkin pie sounds a bit odd considering the temp FINALLY cracked into the 80s this weekend (insert happy dance here)…still, it sounds really really good. i tihnk ill go the steamed route though, since i have a weak ass blender
I will definitely be making this soon! Today I made the cashew ricotta and it was soooo good! Last week I made the raw chocolate pudding. It was the perfect treat! Thanks for sharing your recipes. You have inspired me!:)
Steph,
Can’t tell you how happy I am that you like the recipes!! I promise to keep ‘em coming
Gena
I’ve never been a fan of raw soups (I like my soup hot hot hot!), but this sounds so tasty!
Jenna is in my prayers, I’ve just read her post. So tragic.
This looks so good. The carrot renew you made me was amazing! So I am sure this is too. I was surprised by how soup-like a raw soup actually is at room temp. yummy and very pretty too.
this sounds great! I’be been curious about the whole raw thing and have thought about trying to incorporate more into my diet… this soup may just be the way to start.
LK,
This is a great place to start! Especially since you can absolutely substitute steamed squash and make it “raw-ish.”
I’m the opposite of you. I have never liked blended soups and really don’t like raw soups much at all…. (or cooked blended soups)..
The flavors sound good though!
I am a new reader of Jenna and am so sad for her family… life is just so unfair sometimes.
I LOVE blended soups too. It’s what got me through a very looooong winter. I don’t know why folks think raw food = cold food. BUT now that spring has finally sprung and temps are heating up, what recommendations do you have for yummy, refreshing summertime soups?
Well I’ll do my best to share many on the site! I love cream of spinach (made with almond milk OR avocado), Ani Phyo’s corn chowder (which I’ll certainly make for the blog soon), the carrot avocado soup on my recipe tab (a total fave) and cream of tomato with roma tomatoes, an avocado base, and some basil thrown in. But the possibilities are truly endless.
This soup looks delicious. Raw pumpkin soup is one of my favorites.
Hey Ingrid! I’m honored to have you visiting! I love your site.
Everything dynamic and very positively!
Zoran
Well, it’s not so hot here that I could not enjoy a big slice of pumpkin pie…but perhaps I will try this instead! I don’t have a lot of chilled soup recipes under my belt, but this one might start me down that road. It’s a good sign that my tummy started rumbling when I read this
Wow! From a soup connoisseur, that is a huge complement, Erik! Thank you so much!!
Best soup ever? Hmm, those are strong words, my dear! I’m a bit of a soup diva myself–soups make the best lunches in my world. This recipe seems like a great template for making all sorts of summery soups. I’m thinking about substituting cantaloupe for the butternut squash. Bring on the warm weather!
Just out of curiosity, how do you decide whether you want to use stevia or agave nectar in your recipes? Do you prefer one over the other?
Happy Monday!
Hi, dear Rose-Anne!
Those are strong words. I’ll just say this: taking into account this soup’s simplicity, ease, taste, and double-duty as both dessert and main course, I’m a big, big fan.
I use Stevia whenever possible. I’m not opposed to agave, but it’s high in sugar (sure, it’s a better SORT of sugar than others, but gram for gram, it’s still a hefty amount), so Stevia is great for everyday use. If I want a drizzle of something over raw granola, or something sticky for raw cookies, I go with agave.
Happy Monday!
This is a beautiful picture of this soup! I love it! Do you think we will be able to meet up in New York?
Thanks, April! I’m free all day Sunday — will shoot you an email about meeting up!
I tried this recipe today and I just wanted to say how GREAT it was!!! VERY tasty. Thanks for posting this. I need to try it frozen now!
I just wanted to say that I have come down with H1N1 and made this super easy recipe for lunch. DELISH and a perfect sick/comfort food for me. Thanks for posting this (even though it was a while back).
Just found your website and I appreciate it. May stop eating meat again,
and go raw veggie with help from sites like yours. Hope to improve liver function with raw veggies that are delicious.
Thanks for great ideas like your pumpkin pie soup and dessert.
Just made this… it is fantastic. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this post! I love the fact that the soup is sweet enough to be considered a desert. Great pictures and love your blog! We will be trying this
I tried this recipe today and I just wanted to say how GREAT it was!!! VERY tasty. Thanks for posting this. I need to try it frozen now!
It is DEFINITELY the best soup ever. I’ve made it many times. But, I haven’t tried it with butternut squash. Can’t wait!