Tuscan Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:
butter-flavored cooking spray
1 medium onion, chopped
15½ oz canned cannellini or white beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz canned pumpkin
3½ cups fat-free chicken broth
½ Tbsp dried oregano leaves, or to taste
1 tsp cracked pepper, or to taste
½ tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan & Romano cheese blend
4 Tbsp fat-free sour cream
½ cup diet ginger ale, optional

Instructions:
Coat the bottom of a large stock pot or dutch oven with butter-flavored cooking spray.  Over medium heat, add onion, cover and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.  Use small amounts of ginger ale or water, if necessary, to keep onion from burning.

Stir in pumpkin, broth, beans, and spices.  Simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender, process soup in batches until smooth.  Return soup to pot and reheat over low heat.  Stir in cheese.  Remove from heat.  Ladle soup into 4 bowls and top each with 1 Tbsp of sour cream.

Yields about 1¼ cups per serving.

Special Information:
Using the ginger ale to cook the onion adds a deliciously sweet and spicy flavor to this dish without adding to the POINTS value.  Feel free to use more or less of any of the above mentioned spices!  I enjoy a bit more cinnamon and a dash of garlic.