I have been wanting to purchase a high powered blender for a couple of years now. I love to make foods from scratch and always wanted to try to make my own nut butters, flours, nut milks and to finally be able to make a smooth juice with any fruit or vegetable and not have to sacrifice the rich fiber content of these foods. Unfortunately, most blenders out there just don’t have the power to achieve any of these tasks and much less do it quickly, easily and smoothly! Furthermore, the ones that do are usually not esthetically beautiful. I grew up watching cooking shows and dreaming of the day that I too could have a kitchen filled with KitchenAid appliances like all the chefs on television had. When I moved out on my own, the little girl in me had to make that vision a reality and so I would save my money and splurge on a new KitchenAid appliance each time there was a sale. In fact, if you come to my home you can see all my professional series KitchenAid appliances proudly displayed on my kitchen counters. So of course part of me was always hoping and waiting for KitchenAid to come up with a high powered blender that could rival all the other brands already on the market, and that would of course look as sleek and trendy as all KitchenAid appliances usually do. Well they did! Not only that, but they gifted me one and I am not disappointed! Needless to say my last KitchenAid blender has been upgraded and replaced by the KitchenAid Professional Series Blender with Thermal Control Jar which now sits beautifully on my kitchen counter. This makes the little girl in me so extremely happy and excited; it is the ultimate tool for making all my healthy and nutritious meals possible and so much simpler.
This blender is KitchenAid’s most powerful blender. It has 11 speeds and a 3.5 peak HP motor which produces more power than the leading competitor blenders on the market, and can quickly and easily blend the toughest ingredients (nuts, seeds, grains, fibrous vegetables and fruits, etc.) into anything your heart desires: soups, juices, smoothies, nut butters, dressings, sauces, flour and so much more. What I love most about it is its three pre-set Adapti-Blend™ Programs for soups, juices and smoothies, and its thermal control jar. Just point the knob to the desired pre-set program and let the blender do its thing for the perfect result. It is also equipped with asymmetric stainless steel blades which are positioned in four different angles in order to pull the ingredients into the blending vortex for a smooth, consistent result each time. It is definitely my go to tool for making soups and sauces on a whim because when used with the thermal control jar, the soup setting will transform your room temperature or cool ingredients into a hot silky smooth bowl of soup or sauce in no time. The perfect solution for when you had a long day at work or have been running around all day for your kid’s activities and simply don’t have it in you to come home and start cooking, yet would love a wholesome, quick homemade meal.
Here is a quick recipe that I developed using my leftover Halloween pumpkin and a few extra ingredients I had laying around in my refrigerator and fruit basket! If you have always gotten rid of your Halloween pumpkin because you find them difficult to use or too big and overwhelming, this recipe will definitely change your mind. Plus, it comes together so quickly and easily, it will definitely become one of your go to recipes! If you try it, don't forget to tag me (@thefoodfullife) in your recipe posts on Instagram!
Pumpkin Apple Ginger Soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
1 small pumpkin (3 pounds) or 1 sweet pumpkin
2 medium apples (any variety you like, I particulalry love the tartness of McIntosh or Granny Smith for this recipe)
2 celery stalks
1 small red onion
1 clove of garlic
2 cups of broth (I used the leftover liquids produced from the roasting of the pumpkin and added vegetable broth for the remainder amount)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (I love the taste of ginger but you can start with one teaspoon and increase if you find there isn't enough)
½ teaspoon Himalayan salt (more for seasoning of vegetables)
Fresh ground pepper (for seasoning of vegetables)
Directions
Preheat the oven at 400⁰F.
Cut the pumpkin in half crosswise (think circumference), scoop out the seeds. Don't discard the seeds, simply roast them and eat them as a snack or use them to decorate your soup bowls and add an extra crunchy texture to each bite. There is no need to peel the pumpkin right now; the skin will easily come off once cooked. Season the inside of the pumpkin with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Place the pumpkin halves on a baking sheet and roast cut side up for 20 minutes, then flip and roast cut side down for an extra 20-25 minutes or until the flesh is cooked through and tender, not mushy.
Remove from the oven, let cool and peel off the skin from the flesh with your fingers.
While the pumpkin is roasting, cut up the apples with the skin on, onion and celery stalks in same sized pieces, season with olive oil, salt and pepper, add the whole garlic clove and place on a baking sheet (lined with a silicone mat to minimize the cleanup afterwards) and roast for 20 minutes or until they start to caramelize and turn golden brown.
When all the vegetables have cooled, add the broth and apple cider vinegar to the blender jar, then add the pumpkin (simply chopped up in large pieces) and all the other roasted vegetables, ginger, salt and extra pepper if desired. Place the lid securely on the blender jar, place the speed control dial to the Soup setting, flip the Start/Stop toggle switch down and let the KitchenAid Professional Series Blender with Thermal Control Jar do its thing for a smooth, silky and hot pureed soup in no more than 5 minutes! Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary, or add more broth if too thick. If you are using a regular blender, blend all the ingredients as you would normally and then warm up the soup before serving.
Nutrition Benefits
Pumpkins contain anti-inflammatory and immune boosting vitamins A, C and zinc, and are full of antioxidants.
The flesh is a rich source of fibre and the seeds are a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and are high in iron, zinc, manganese and copper.
Ginger not only is great for pregnant women suffering from nausea, but it is also great for digestion, it is anti-inflammatory and may help ease joint pain, it helps fight off the flu and common cold, reduces menstrual pain, helps protect against several bacterial strains, etc. A great addition to anyone's daily diet, a staple in mine especially during the cold season!
My Food Tips and Tricks
If juicing is your thing but find you need something warmer ever since the colder days have arrived, or you already love to meal prep before the week ahead, or you just think I might be onto something with this soup-a-day to ward off the extra pounds during the holiday season, give this recipe a try and get “souping” daily!If your pumpkin is too hard or firm for you to cut through it, simply pop it in the oven for a few minutes to soften it enough for it to yield to your knife.
Roasted pumpkin seeds are a safe alternative for those suffering from nut allergies and for school lunches and snacks. Instead of buying them, add winter squash to your menu and use my simple recipe for Super Easy Roasted Squash Seeds to make your own!
You can even use your whole pumpkin as a vessel for serving your soups and stews, or your dips and sauces when using smaller pumpkins.
Extra leftover pureed soup that you’re starting to get tired of or maybe you don’t have enough for a whole new meal? Turn it into a delicious quick pasta sauce! Simply reheat it to let it reduce and you have the perfect sauce that will stick to your favorite cooked pasta.
*This post was made in partnership with KitchenAid. All opinions, stories, as well as the recipe developed are my own.
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