Pumpkin Leek Soup with sweet Ramiro Peppers. Gorgeously warming, home-made Autumnal comfort food. Free from gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs and also vegan)
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Pumpkin Leek Soup with Ramiro Peppers – a post revisited
I first shared my recipe for Pumpkin Leek Soup with Ramiro Peppers back in 2016. At the time, I was working full time in the Public Sector and blogging was not in any way a ‘career choice’. When I posted the recipe, I had however, just been nominated for an Allergy Blog Award. It was exciting, but at the same time, it filled me with self-doubt that I was not a ‘real blogger’.
The reason I blog has always been motivated by a need to record a family recipe journal for Miss GF and her future… A sort of family recipe book that will be there for her when she grows up. But the recipes developed have always been shared with the world, because it would be way too selfish to keep our successes to ourselves. If other people can benefit from the hard work, then they should.
Those reasons still stand, but after taking redundancy back in 2019, the blog has become a more significant part of life. Although I am still free-lancing with skills from my old career, the amount of work put into recipe development seemed somehow worthy of a little more focus.
The success or not of Gluten Free Alchemist
I did not win an Allergy Award, but was short-listed. And since then, Gluten Free Alchemist has been placed in the Feedspot global top 100 list of gluten free blogs and the top 10 UK allergy-friendly food blogs. The blog still makes absolutely no money however (hence the need to also alternatively freelance) and I still don’t really feel a part of the bloggers ‘mainstream’.
Does that ultimately matter? Probably not. Many bloggers determine success on whether they are earning a good enough wage. For me, the pleasure of making people food-happy and offering great gluten free alternatives is success in itself. (Although a bit of financial recognition for what I do and the incredible hours I put in would be nice).
Do I get envious of the economic success of other bloggers? For sure. Do I feel sad when it’s the other bloggers who get opportunities and invites to foodie events? Without a doubt. But hey. It is what it is.
I have absolutely no idea why I am telling you this. Perhaps it’s an opportunity to gain equilibrium and to explore the repeating question about whether I should be blogging at all. But if you have read this far… Thank you. This blog is also for you. And if it inspires great gluten free food, then it’s a success.
Pumpkin Leek Soup for the Autumn harvest
But back to Pumpkin Leek Soup. Originally made with left-over pumpkin from Halloween, it’s a great way to use carved out flesh after Halloween pumpkins have been made. Halloween pumpkin waste around the world is shocking and any recipe that helps the humble pumpkin to remain food is worthy.
And this soup is delicious. The pumpkin has been paired with leek and also sweet red Ramiro pointy peppers for a truly Autumnal bowl of warming deliciousness. If you don’t want to use Ramiro peppers, bog-standard sweet red bell peppers are just fine. It also offers a hint of ginger and smoked paprika for extra comfort. Cheap and healthy, my Pumpkin Leek Soup with Ramiro peppers will leave you feeling like you have been internally hugged.
Is this soup ‘free from’?
Pumpkin Leek Soup is free from gluten, dairy, nuts and eggs and is also Vegan. Whilst there is soy listed in the ingredients via a little gluten free shoyu sauce, this can be left out if soy cannot be tolerated. Other than that, it’s a bowl of amazing goodness, that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
What can I serve with Pumpkin Leek Soup?
Like any great soup, Pumpkin Leek Soup is delicious served with great bread. Of course, great bread in a gluten free world can be a bit difficult to come by. So why not make your own? Some of the most popular recipes at Gluten Free Alchemist are our bread recipes. Our wholemeal gluten free bread and its Artisan wholemeal vegan bread sister have literally changed people’s lives. Or why not make a pretty bouquet of Oat, Teff & Millet Bread, some chestnut bread or a fresh gluten free Baguette. And if you prefer something a little different, we also have soft and flexible gluten free Roti Flatbread and a fantastic recipe for Pandebonos (South American cheese bread).
Pumpkin Leek Soup with Ramiro Peppers
Key equipment
- Kitchen scales
- roasting tin
- Oven
- sharp vegetable knife
- very large saucepan (soup pan)
- wooden/silicone spoon
- blender
- large saucepan
Ingredients
Pumpkin Leek Soup
- 1¼ kg pumpkin flesh chopped into chunks
- 1 large leek trimmed, washed and cut into slices
- 250 g red pointy peppers (eg Ramiro peppers) deseeded and sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil approx
- 1¼ tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic crushed
- small piece fresh ginger peeled & chopped
- 700 ml GF vegetable stock approx (dietary safe for other allergens)
- 1 tbsp Shoyu GF soy sauce (optional)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Optional Roasted Pepper Soured Cream/Dairy Free Yoghurt
- 1 additional small pointy pepper chopped and roasted
- 150 ml soured cream or dairy free yoghurt
Instructions
Pumpkin Leek Soup
- Take a large roasting tin and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom.
- Add the pumpkin, leek and peppers and drizzle a further tablespoon of oil over the top.
- Add the paprika and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and using your hands, toss the veg in the oil and spice (to coat).
- Roast in a hot oven (220 C/425 F/Gas 7) for about 40 minutes until soft and beginning to char at the edges. Stir from time to time to ensure an even roast.
- When the pumpkin, pepper and leek are roasted, get a very large saucepan and using a little olive oil, sauté the onion, garlic and ginger until soft.
- Add the roasted vegetables to the pot and stir through.
- Add the vegetable stock, Shoyu sauce (if using) and a good grind of black pepper and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the flavours to deepen and infuse.
- Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
- Using a blender, blend the soup until smooth in batches, transferring to a clean pan as you go.
- Once all the soup has been blended, stir thoroughly and add extra seasoning to taste.
- Heat through to piping hot before serving.
Optional Roasted Pepper Soured Cream/Dairy Free Yoghurt
- Take the additional roasted pepper and blend until you have a smooth paste.
- Mix the pepper paste with the cream/yoghurt and dollop onto or swirl through the hot soup before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Pumpkin Leek Soup shared with :
- Fiesta Friday #345 with Angie and Spades, Spatulas & Spoons
- Full Plate Thursday #503 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- What’s for Dinner #281 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Over The Moon #244 with Eclectic Red Barn and Marilyn’s Treats
- Meatless Monday with Confessions of a Mother Runner
- Create, Bake, Grow and Gather #439 with Shabby Art Boutique
Previously shared with : Cook Blog Share with Easy Peasy Foodie
Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday,503. Sure hope to see you again soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks Helen. You’re welcome x
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Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn
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Thank you Marilyn. You too x
We are ready for soup season and craving all the comforting soup combos. Adding this one to the list, thank you for sharing!
Me too Sarah.
Soup may be one of my favourite things about winter x
This is my kind of soup! Looks just gorgeous and I bet tastes even better. Thanks for linking up to meatless Monday today
Thank you Deborah. You’re welcome x
I am sorry you are not making money from your website, if that is what you want. I think It is a very valuable record though for the future. It also gives a glimpse of your personality to your future generations. I certainly wish I had something of my mother and grandmother to read, laugh and sigh over. Great fall recipe, thank you for not using the ubiquitous pumpkin pie spice and for bringing it to Fiesta Friday.
Thank you Liz. That’s kind of you.
I have no idea why my website makes me no money. Maybe gluten free is still too niche and I don’t play the social media game well enough?!
But I will continue doing what I do for now as I know that it gives people something important xx
Thanks so much for sharing this lovely soup with NCR. Regarding blogging, keep on focusing on what inspires you to create and share on your space.
Of course you should be blogging! I think it's really easy to get bogged down in statistics and rankings (honestly, I have no idea how the Foodies 100 one works – it's completely random!) so as long as YOU are enjoying what you are doing, don't worry about stats or what anyone else thinks. And this soup is awesome. 🙂 Thank you for sharing with the #NoWasteFoodChallenge! 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth. It does all seem rather confusing! I know that I should just ignore stats, but sometimes it is quite distracting. But hey, the soup was awesome for sure and it would be unfair to have kept it to myself xx
I appreciated your post – recently, I had a significant (for me) spike in blog views and then…I was back to my historical normal (which isn't much). I have to keep pulling back and reminding myself why I do this (creative outlet, I love to cook, love to share recipes, connecting with other amazing bloggers). Love this soup recipe – it looks like great comfort food.
Thanks Ali. It is a strange world in blogging. I do wonder whether the spikes are sometimes algorithms….. I get the same, and they are always form specific countries!
I just checked out your blog. You have some lovely recipes over there….. I have just followed you xx
Thank you, Kate!
I completely agree with what the others above have said and it completely echos what I was thinking. I still do not get the whole charts business. But I love your blog and whenever I want a GF recipe this is the first place that I come to. You work full time, I admire that you even have chance to blog, I struggle and I don't work. When I read Vicki's post I nodded my head all the way through, awards are often just popularity contests, who has the most friends. They used to bother me but now I have realised that as long as I am happy with my blog and what I am doing that makes me happy. I sincerely hope that you are happy with what you do because it is amazing! xx
Thank you Kirsty for your support. It is reassuring to know that I am not the only one to be confused by charts and stats. I will have to try harder to ignore them….. xx
I'd have to second everything that Eb's just said. I think your posts are amazing and it's fantastic what you are doing by creating and testing so many GF recipe for Miss GF. I'm sure many other children in her place would end up eating a limited range of food or would simply eat bought GF options. I don't follow a GF diet but I am still tempted by your recipes and I know there will be many people who eat GF who follow your blog but never comment. I think on the whole only other bloggers comment unless someone has a question. I do hope you feel more positive soon and thank you so much for linking up with #CookOnceEatTwice as well x
Thank you Corina. I know deep down that I am achieving good gluten free things and that Miss GF is really lucky to live in a family where being GF is no barrier and nothing to feel negative about. Just occasionally, I let my expectations and comparing myself with other people's 'ratings' get in the way. I shouldn't, but I do. Mostly I am fine. But thank you for your kind support while I wobble! xx
The whole blog thing bemuses me too. I have NO IDEA how it all works…why some people get invited to things and others don't…how the ranks are worked out. I try not to focus too much of my time thinking about it but I like you get down about it sometimes. But the fact is what you do makes a difference to people's lives. Your recipes are a constant source of inspiration for me and your photos make me go wow. The people that don't know about you are missing out on one of the best blogs on the net. You should be listed in the top blog global list because you really and truly are flipping fabulous. Ignore what goes on around you. Ignore what I wrote (I'm sorry…it's because I couldn't bare asking for votes and therefore didn't tell anyone I had been nominated) and keep up your incredible work. We LOVE you!
Thank you Vicki. Your kind comments mean a lot! Especially coming from someone that I admire so much…… x
Oh and also, thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. 🙂 Eb x
Aw, this post made me so sad. Your blog is one of my favourites!! Please don't let statistics and measurements get you down. You are doing an amazing job especially given that you have a job as well. I don't know how you do it! And think as well of all the successes you may never get to hear about…the people who have made your recipes and loved them…the parents whose children have recently been diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and don't know what to do…I'm sure there's loads of them out there who will probably never let you know how much you've helped them (because I've learnt that real people are often scared to leave comments), but they are there none the less! Not to mention the most important person in all this…Miss GF who I am sure thinks you and your blog are amazing and what other accolade than that do you need than that! Sending big virtual hugs Xx
I'm sorry Eb….. It wasn't meant to make anyone sad! But thank you so much for being lovely about it. I know I shouldn't compare myself with others or get stressed by figures, and I also know that given I work as well, what I manage to achieve is something I should be proud of. But I have always had a tendency to set myself unachievable expectations and sometimes I let them get in the way of seeing the good stuff! Hugs much appreciated….. thank you xx
Statistics are a mystery to me – they seem to be different depending where I look and I know mine go down when I have less energy so imagine how much they might go up if I had more energy! Yet I have made a decision that it is a hobby for me and I enjoy it and don't get too worried about statistics. Because the other thing you can be sure of is that the digital world moves fast and if you feel you are on top of it one moment, you can be sure it will suddenly be different in the next and you will be scrabbling to keep up. I think what you do is great – it is entertaining and really informative to read your blog and look at your lovely photos. And I am sure you are giving Miss GF a great example of creativity and wonderful cooking that she will learn from (actually looks like she does). And the first reason I fell in love with blogging was the inspiration to cook well – you definitely help out with this (I still dream of making your bread bouquet) and your soup sounds lovely!
Thanks Johanna for your kind comments. Most of the time, I manage to put stats to one side, but just occasionally, the inconsistencies and expectations come up and bite me….. I know for sure that the blog has had a wonderfully positive influence on Miss GF and her confidence just keeps growing. x
I can't tell you how many amazingly famous gf recipes I have tried, even some books, only to be hugely disappointed. Your recipes are truly amazing and absolutely reflect your love and determination. I elect to be gf so to a coeliac, they must be a god send. I write for my son and then other family members, no-one else. My comment section is tiny compared to others but I enjoy them all. Keep up the good work and tell your negative thoughts to go take a hike!
Thank you DC for your lovely thoughts. It is so good to know that other people do actually find something useful in what I do and write. I will try my very hardest to ignore the gremlins in my head!!! x