Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Macadamia Nuts + 10 Minute Herb & Cheese Scones

Pumpkin soup is always a crowd pleaser. This rustic, thick and creamy concoction paired with warm, fresh-from-the-oven scones  is the ultimate comfort food

This soup is silky smooth, and loaded with bold pumpkin flavour. It’s an easy-to-make, basic soup turned gourmet meal with the addition of salty, toasted macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, and a sprinkle of homemade parmesan cheese. Macadamia nuts are good enough as is, but toasting them releases hidden flavours and adds a whole new burnt, smoky salty, and rich dimension that complements the soup perfectly

The scones are cheesy and buttery and infused with rosemary, thyme, basil and sage. They’re perfect for dunking and smothering in pumpkin soup or just slathering with butter and eating straight from the oven. I made two versions. One with a gluten free flour mix and one with spelt flour. The gluten free version was more flaky and crumbly while the spelt version was a little bit denser and held together better, but both were equally good.

Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Macadamia Nuts

• 2 medium size carrots
• 1 red onion
• 1 medium size apple
• 1 medium size Hokkaido pumpkin or other type of pumpkin
• 420 mL almond milk or other milk
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp ground almonds (almond meal)
• salt and pepper to taste
• handful of macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Wash and peel the carrots, onion and apple. Cut them into small cubes and place them on the baking tray.
3. Cut the pumpkin into small cubes and cut the skin off. Put the pumpkin on the baking tray with the apple, onion and carrots.
4. Bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes or until everything is soft
5. Take the vegetables out of the oven, and using a blender, food processor, or hand mixer, mix the vegetables with the milk, olive oil,  and almond meal. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. If you’re going to eat the soup right away, transfer it to a pot on the stove and heat it over medium heat until it reaches desired warmth
7. Put the macadamia nuts and pumpkin seeds into a small frying pan without oil, and toast them over medium heat. Watch them carefully and move them around once they start to turn brown so that all sides toast equally. This takes about 5 minutes
8. Sprinkle the nuts and seeds over the soup along with some homemade parmesan cheese

10 Minute Herb and Cheese Scones

Makes ~8 scones

• 2 cups whole wheat spelt flour (or gluten free flour mixture)
• 1/2 cup buttery spread
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup non-dairy cheese shreds
• 8 large sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup almond milk or other non dairy milk
• Chopped fresh herbs: ~2 tbsp each of chopped fresh rosemary, basil and parsley.
• 1 tbsp each freshly chopped or dried sage and thyme

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour and baking powder
3. Cut in the butter until you have a crumbly mixture
4. Add all other ingredients and mix until well combined
5. Form the dough into 8 balls and place them on the baking sheet
6. Press them down with your hand or a fork so that they are slightly flat
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown