On Halloween night my mom always made us soup and sandwiches before we went out trick or treating. Like most kids, all we could think about was getting out the door to fill our bags-pillow cases in fact, with candy! I asked my mom the other day why we always had soup and sandwiches and she said that it was the only way she could get us to sit down and keep us from leaving the house before it got dark.

My Pumpkin Black Bean Soup (Spooky Soup) is a powerhouse of nutrition but it also makes it fun for kids and adults alike, and most importantly, it gives parents some time to get their kids to sit down and relax before all the excitement to come. Stella is too young to go out trick or treating this year so we’ll be home enjoying the warmth of our house and this soup!

Ingredients
2 cans Black Beans (15 ounce), Divided
2 cups Spinach Leaves (finely chopped)
1 can Pure Pumpkin (29 ounce)
2 cups Milk
2 cups Water
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Salt

Garnish (optional)
Yogurt

Directions
Blend 1 can of black beans with water from the can with 2 cups of spinach leaves. If using small chopper, blend in batches. Set aside.

In a stock pot over medium heat, add pumpkin, milk and water. Stir in bean mixture, cumin and salt, mix to combine and then add the other can of beans (drained and rinsed).

Garnish soup with a spider web by using a squeeze bottle filled with yogurt and a small amount of water (to make it able to squeeze through bottle). Make a small circle in the middle and four lines in a snowflake pattern. Then connect all lines with a curved line. You can use a tooth pick to draw as well. Place a black bean on top to look like a spider!

Serve with grilled sandwiches. For our family, I made grilled mozzarella cheese sandwiches and raspberry jam, cut into shapes with a cookie cutter.

Makes 8, 1 cup servings