Pumpkin, Kale, & Black Bean Stew

I know vegan soups never seem all that special, but its been raining every day, my pumpkin rotted before I could carve it, and it gets dark at 6. Meaning, this is ideal stew weather. This batch is HUGE, I made way more than I expected to, mostly because I didn't realize how much space the pumpkin would take up. If you want to make a smaller batch (meaning only using 4 cups of stock instead of 6) I'd recommend using half the amount of pumpkin and half the amount of black beans, and tone down the spices slightly. 

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
1 pie pumpkin, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
28 oz can diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, grated or pressed
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp Chili Powder
2 cans of black beans
6 cups vegetable stock
1 bunch of Kale, stems removed, chopped
Salt + Pepper

1. Heat large stock pot over medium heat. Once hot add the olive oil and then the onions. Let them cook until they start to turn translucent, about 4-5 minutes, then add the carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes more. 

2. add the diced tomatoes, juice and all. Add the pumpkin, spices, and garlic. Stir and cook until fragrant ( meaning spices are all well mixed in) before adding the 6 cups of stock. 

3. Bring to a boil and let simmer covered until the pumpkin and carrots are desired tenderness, 30-40 minutes. 

4. Remove 2-3 cups of the soup and blend thoroughly either with a blender or a hand blender. Add it back to the pot. This is going to thicken the soup, so if it ends up not being as thick as you would like, just blend some more. 
 

5. Stir in the Kale and turn off the heat. It won't take much to cook it, especially since the stems are removed. Salt and pepper to taste (I used 1tsp of salt, and low sodium stock)