Pumpkin Bisque with a Pear Arugula & Smoked Vegan Cheese Sandwich

A perfect fall meal, this one combines many seasonal flavors all together on one plate. A creamy bisque with a hint of nutmeg. Toasted bread with pears, smokey cheese and a fig surprise inside. SOOOO GOOOOD! This is really

two recipes so I may have to separate them out and link them. :)

Serves 4 large bowls, 6-8 Cups

Pumpkin (3 lbs fresh pumpkin, seed, cooked, scooped out and pureed)

Olive Oil (1-2 Tbs.)

Onion (1 chopped)Vegetable Broth  (homemade if you've got it, really easy)

Garlic (4 cloves chopped)

Pumpkin Pie Spice (start with 1/2 tsp, don't over do it or it will taste too cliche) 
Bay Leaf (one should be fine)
Salt (to taste start with 1 1/2 tsp)
Pepper (to taste, I like a lot)
Vegetable Broth (4 cups homemade if you've got it, super easy to make)
Cashew Cream (1 cup soaked cashews blended in 1 cup water or broth until totally smooth)
Nutmeg


1. In a large soup pot add oil, onion and garlic. Saute on medium until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cashew cream. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and lower heat to simmer, for 30 mins.


2. Remove from heat and remove Bay leaf. Blend soup using blender and return to pot or hand held blender (wish I had one of those) and leave soup in the pot. Save out 1/2 cup of cashew cream and pour the rest in to the soup.


3. Pour soup into cup or bowl then. Drizzle with the additional cashew cream and sprinkle a dash of fresh nutmeg onto. Serve with Pear Arugula & Smoked Vegan Cheese Sandwich (will write recipe and link tomorrow)