I have learned that soup, and lots of it, is the key to a calmer, more organized, Konmari-ish and just generally better life. Specifically, making lots of soup and keeping it in the freezer is the trick. There is an incredible soothing effect from having a filling, healthy meal always ready to go in about 10 minutes. Plus, they are pretty inexpensive and you can feel really smug about getting lots of vegetables.

Especially as the holidays bear down upon us all like a huge, looming, twinkling thing - soup in the freezer is the way to stability. If you can manage to make more than one type and freeze both, so you have soup variety in your life, you level up. Might I recommend tortellini chicken soup, roasted tomato or cream of mushroom to add some variety?

This soup is a great way to use up any straggler pumpkins left over from Halloween. If you have one hanging around, hurry up and use i or you might get an unfortunate liquefied pumpkin ooze mess, as I did this year. You can also use butternut, kabocha or any similar squash, or a mix.

pumpkin soup:

about 2 pound pumpkin
grapeseed or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed with the flat of a knife
1 shallot, quartered
1 tsp ground coriander seed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili flakes
salt and pepper
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
fresh cilantro and limes to serve

Heat oven to 400°. Halve the pumpkins and scoop out seeds and stringy pumpkin intestines. Brush with oil and sprinkle salt and pepper all over the flesh. Roast skin side down until flesh is very tender, about 1 hour. Let cool until the pumpkin isn't too hot to touch and peel off the skin. Set pumpkin flesh aside.

In a large stock pot, sauté the garlic and shallots in 2 tbs oil. When the garlic and shallot are soft and starting to colour, add the cumin and coriander seed, and sauté a couple more minutes, until the spices are very fragrant. Add chicken stock and pumpkin. Blitz with an immersion blender or in a food processor until very smooth. Return to low heat and add cream and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with some fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Freeze in single serve portions and rejoice.

Pumpkin magic. Bibbity bobbity boo.

It's nearly Thanksgiving! At least in Canada it is, I know American Thanksgiving is still a ways off. And in most of the rest of the world, it's not really a thing at all. But whether or not this is a tradition for you, I would highly recommend adopting the meal part of Thanksgiving. It's a great meal, one of my favorite meals of the year. For my family, it's always turkey, which is nice enough, but the real greatness of Thanksgiving is the sides. Turkey itself doesn't really inspire any especially fervent passion in me, the best reason to have turkey is that it allows for stuffing (let's not get into the whole stuffing vs dressing issue-dressing is clearly the liquid you put on a salad). Stuffing is one of the best foods there ever was, and is possibly the star of the entire dinner.

Except maybe the pies. The only possible rivals to the Thanksgiving glory that is stuffing is the pie. We always have pumpkin and pecan (recipe coming soon!) because I'm not into choosing. Obviously pumpkin pie is THE Thanksgiving pie, but pecan pie is a perfect compliment for it. And because you really can't have too many pecans, this pumpkin pie sneaks some spiced and candied pecans into the crust and decorating the top. The graham crumb crust is easy and quick, and you don't have to deal with pastry at all. Other than the graham crust, this is a pretty traditional pumpkin pie, smooth and nicely spicy and tastes like Autumn. It's also excellent the next day for breakfast with a side of leftover stuffing, if you are lucky enough to have any leftovers.

adapted from Williams Sonoma

candied pecans:

1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Heat oven to 350°. In a colander, rinse the pecans with cold water. Shake to remove excess water. Toss the nuts in a bowl with sugar and spices. Spread the coated nuts onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until the sugar has crystallized. Check on them frequently to check for doneness, they can burn quickly. Cool and store in an airtight container up to 2 days.

crust:

3/4 cup candied pecans
1 cup graham
cracker crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter

Combine pecans and crumbs in a food processor, blitz until nuts are finely ground. Add butter and mix until combined. Press the crust into a pie plate. Set aside.

filling:

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
3 eggs
3/4 cup heavy/whipping cream
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbs cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
2 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 325°. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir until well combined and smooth. Pour into prepared crust and bake 50-60 minutes, until the pie just just the slightest wobble in the center when you jiggle it, but it set around the edges. Cool pie and place candied pecans around the edge. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Photos: Tyrel Hiebert