Pumpkin-Sweet Potato Soup and Thankfulness

I remember my first Thanksgiving after my surgery in September 1998 to remove a 14cm pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor.  While I was incredibly thankful to be alive, I was daunted and discouraged by what I could no longer eat.  I tried to hide my tears as I stared at the bountiful feast set before me.   Now, 13 Thanksgiving feasts later, I can happily say that I have developed a bounty of recipes that meet my needs.  This is a soup that I have made for a few years now and I save it just for Thanksgiving so I have something special that I don't ordinarily have.  I still have moments ...ok..I'll be honest ....sometimes days.....when I lament my dietary restrictions.  Then, I remind myself of the millions of people throughout the world who daily subsist on meager amounts of food or who don't have clean water.  This "reality check" with the larger view of the world beacons me to focus on what I do have, rather than what I don't have, and calls me to share my bounty with others.  So, I share this recipe with you, and wish you a hearty helping of thankfulness.  

 

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup (1/2 inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
Drizzle of plain kefir as a garnish

Preparation:
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onion, saute 3 minutes.  Stir in curry powder, cumin, nutmeg and garlic; saute 1 minute.  Add sweet potato, broth, and pumpkin; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat, cool 10 minutes.  Puree soup in a blender in batches or with an immersion stick in the pot. Stir in the lime juice and ladle into bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of plain kefir.
   
Nutrition:
Servings per recipe: 5                              
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 113
Total Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: mg                                      
Sodium: 66 mg
Total Carbs: 19 g
Dietary Fiber:4
Protein: 4