Thanksgiving Holiday Recipes: Pumpkin Bisque

What better way to warm up on a chilly Thanksgiving day than with a hot bowl of soup?! Try this recipe as an appetizer at this year's dinner table.

Pumpkin Bisque

This recipe serves 6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp peanut oil

1/3 cup of finely chopped onions

1/3 cup of finely chopped celery

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 medium sized pumpkin (approx. 3 lbs)

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper

about 1 quart of low-sodium canned chicken stock (Try Pacific Organic Free Range Low-Sodium Chicken Broth; it has only 70 mg/sodium per cup)

2 tbsps toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Pierce the pumpkin several times and cook in the microwave until the shell softens using high power for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Save the seeds for toasting if desired. Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven about 40 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Let cool. Reserve the juice on the baking sheet.

4. Scoop the pulp out of the pumpkin skin with a spoon and set aside.

5. Heat the peanut oil in a deep saucepan over low heat. Add the onions, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Add the pumpkin pulp and the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat.

6. Reduce the heat and simmer about 15 minutes until the onion and celery are completely tender.

7. After removing the bay leaf, puree the mixture in a blender, in batches, being careful not to overfill the blender.

8. Reheat the bisque. Add stock if it is too thick.

9. Serve hot, sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Nutrition Information (Serving Size 1/2 cup):

Calories -114

Carbohydrate -19g

Fat -4g

Fiber - 2g

Protein - 4g

Saturated Fat - 1g

Enjoy!

For more healthy Thanksgiving recipe ideas check out these recipes:

Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad

Sweet Potato Souffle

All recipes are taken from our partner site FoodFit.com - check it out for more delicous heart-healthy recipes!