A fitting fall dinner

This week I did something this crafty DIYer rarely does, I successfully made a delicious fall dinner from scratch! I had two small pumpkins from our halloween decor, and wanted to put them to good use. So I found this recipe in a circular from our local Sunflower Farmers Market. Originally it is from Christina Cooks, by Christina Pirello.

Here is the recipe!

Roasted Pumpkin and Carrot Soup - Series 6 
This soup creates a serene strength and a calm disposition. By normalizing 
our blood sugars, this soup keeps our emotions on an even keel, keeping 
opera-like drama out of our lives and on the stage. 

What You'll Need
2 small sugar pumpkin, seeded 
extra virgin olive oil 
sea salt 
1 small yellow onion, diced 
3-4 carrots, diced 
grated zest of 1 lemon 
1 tablespoon mirin or white wine 
2 cups spring or filtered water 
1 cup plain soymilk 
2 teaspoons sweet white miso 
2-3 tablespoons pan toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375º. Generously rub the outside skin of the sugar pumpkin 
with oil and place, cut side down in a shallow baking pan. Sprinkle lightly 
with salt and add water to the baking dish to accumulate about 1/8-inch. 
Cover loosely with foil and bake until the squash is tender, about 40 
minutes (time may vary depending on the size of the pumpkin). Remove from 
oven and set aside to cool. 
Place about 2 tablespoons oil and onion in a small soup pot and turn heat to 
medium-high. When the onions begin to sizzle, add a pinch of salt and saute 
for 2 minutes. Stir in carrots, a pinch of salt, lemon zest and mirin. 
Saute for 1-2 minutes. 
Scoop the flesh of the pumpkin out of the skins and add to the vegetables in 
the soup pot. Add water, soymilk, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to 
low and cook soup until the carrots are quite soft, about 25 minutes. 
Transfer the soup, by ladles to a chinois or food mill and puree until 
smooth. Add a small amount of soymilk to thin the soup as desired. Return 
soup to the pot and place over very low heat. Remove a small amount of 
broth and dissolve miso. Stir miso into soup and simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 
minutes. Serve garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds. Makes 3-4 servings.