Curried Pumpkin soup by Vegan Chef Mark Reinfeld

I have been taking cooking classes for years, always looking for vegan or at least vegetarian classes but they are hard to come by. Finally there is a school that is dedicated to teaching both amateurs and professionals how to make beautiful plant based foods that in Mark’s words is “good for you and good for the planet”.

Chef Mark Reinfeld is best-selling author of numerous award winning Vegan cookbooks, including the recent 30 Minute Vegan series, who also created a new Vegan Fusion Culinary Academy which offers a variety of classes in the cooking of vegan and raw food cuisine.

 “Our goal is to teach and train people on plant-based cuisine and provide them with tools for living an inspired life,” said Reinfeld. “We are certifying teachers and working with them to set up vegan cuisine teaching centers worldwide. Many describe the experience as life-changing.”

I am in the middle of one trip (Italy) and already planning the next, hoping to make it next spring to one of the 5 or 10 day courses Mark teaches at his academy.

The Vegan Fusion Academy, located in Miami, Florida, offers a variety of courses, including one- and two-day introductory classes; five- and ten- day immersion culinary courses, three-day advanced teacher trainings; and three-month chef certification programs. The curriculum is a combination of classroom teaching combined with hands on culinary experience with plant based foods in the kitchen. The courses teach all about the numerous health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet and help people learn, experience, and achieve greater levels of creativity and confidence in the kitchen.”

For more information visit http://VeganFusionAcademy.com

Here’s a sample of some of the recipes that are taught at the Academy, excerpted from The 30 Minute Vegan’s Soups, reprinted here by permission. 

Serves 6 to 8

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Ingredients:

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5 cups vegetable stock or water

1 1/4 cup diced yellow onion

3/4 cup diced celery

1/2 teaspoon seeded and diced hot chile pepper

4 large garlic cloves

4 cups pumpkin, 1/2 inch chop

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (try toasting)

2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups soy creamer, coconut milk, soy milk or rice milk, or almond milk

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

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Directions:

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1. Place the vegetable stock in a 3 quart pot over high heat. Add all of the ingredients except the soy creamer and cilantro, and cook until the pumpkin is just soft, approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the soy creamer, carefully transfer to a blender, and blend until creamy.

3. Return to the pot, add the cilantro and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat, stirring occasionally.

Variations

Replace the pumpkin with any squash such as butternut, acorn or buttercup. Replace the curry powder with 2 teaspoons of chile powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chile powder for a Mexican theme.

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Here is a link to my own vegan kale and potato soup with cashew cream that you may also enjoy:

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