Pumpkin season! I had small “Sugar Pie Pumpkin” in my hands and I was wondering what to cook. In the Cooking Light magazine (October, 2010)  I read a recipe of homemade mashed pumpkin and thought – why not? I baked the pumpkin halves (without seeds)  in the oven about 40 minutes, removed the peel and turned it into a puree with the blender. Part of mashed pumpkin went into this Caribbean-inspired soup and the other part I folded into a container and refrigerate. I got about 1 1/2 cups a very tasty pumpkin puree with a slight roasted flavor.

Soup recipe adapted from MyRecipes.com. I was omit sherry and sherry vinegar – tomatoes given enough sour.

1/2  cups  drained diced canned tomatoes
1/2  (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, slightly mashed
1  teaspoon  olive oil
1/2  cups  finely chopped onion
1/2  teaspoon  ground cumin
2  garlic cloves, minced
3  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco (I used Feta)
1/4  cup  sliced green onions

Place tomatoes and beans in a food processor; process until about half the beans are smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cumin and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add bean and tomatoes, broth, pumpkin puree, black pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle each serving with about 2 tablespoons queso fresco and about 1 tablespoon green onions.