Autumn Pumpkin Soup with Tofu

I've got a pumpkin roasting in the oven, veggies boiling on the stove, and an hour to kill before I can combine them into a savory soup! Here's a bit about myself and my blog as well as my recipe for Autumn Pumpkin Soup with Tofu. Enjoy!

I moved to Toronto two months ago from New Mexico to go to school for Material Arts and Design. When I decided to come to school out here I knew that I was going to have to leave my lovely family, friends, green chile, and blue skies. I also knew that I was going to have to learn to cook for myself and stick to a budget, two challenges that most college students face their first year. Luckily my sister sent me off with her Holy Bible for College Girls Learning to Cook. It has an amazing selection of recipes from across the globe. I followed her recipes measure for measure for the first couple of weeks until I started to get some confidence in the kitchen. Slowly I started making substitutions and leaving the measuring cups in the cupboard. A lot of these substitutions were seasonal vegetables, nuts, seeds, and tofu instead of meat. Living near China Town, these things are abundant and more affordable than meat and cheese. I realized that cooking and eating these foods was not only making me feel fabulous, it's also fun and creative! Over the past few months I have been bold with my veggies. I buy things that I have never cooked before (some that I have never seen before) and experiment. I'll be posting recipes and stories on my journey through veganism. This is for all of you college girls, guys, grandmas, and Vegan Vixens who want to eat well and have fun in the kitchen. Please feel free to post recipes, tips, or any other love!

Xoxo, Liesse

Autumn Pumpkin Soup with Tofu

• Quarter Medium Pumpkin
• 1 Pkg Tofu, herb or plain
• 1 Can Coconut Milk
• 2 Cups Veggie Broth (recipe at end of post)
• 1/2 White Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 Tbs Olive Oil
• 2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Serves 4.
Tip: Share with your roommates or divide soup in to single serving Tupperware and put in the freezer. On nights when you have a late class and don't feel like cooking, add a touch of water and heat on the stove for 15 minutes at medium heat stirring often.

1. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until opaque
2. Add all ingredients except tofu
3. Bring to boil, uncovered
4. Turn heat to low, cover and let simmer for 30-45 minutes
5. In a separate pan, saute tofu until golden
6. Add tofu to soup
7. Enjoy!

Veggie Broth

Any combo of vegetables can be turned into a vegan broth to use in soups, sauces, and stir fry.

I used:

• Red Bell Pepper
• Baby Zucchini
• Celery
• White Onion
• Garlic

1. Wash veggies and cut into quarters
2. Toss them in to a pot and cover with water
3. Add a dash of salt (or two)
4. Being to a boil, uncovered
5. Turn heat to low, cover and let simmer for one hour