Sweet Potato Soup
I found a recipe for Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup that sounded so good. Hmm, I have lentils, so I went to the store for sweet potatoes.
Come dinnertime, I got the lentils out of the pantry and scooped out a half-cup. They screamed at me "We are not lentils... we are split green peas!!"
Holy cow... when I read lentils, in my mind's eye I saw the bag of split green peas in my cupboard and thought I was all set. I wasn't sure about mixing split green peas and sweet potatoes. I was afraid I'd end up with a soup whose color would remind me of something I'd already eaten and upchucked.
Sorry.
Sorry.
Change of plans... no lentils in this soup, but it turned out lovely... made with one of the most nutritious vegetables around... sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes have as much beta-carotene (Vitamin A) as 16 cups of broccoli. They are a great source of Vitamin E... and fat free. Most foods high in Vitamin E are high in fat (vegetable oils, nuts, and avocadoes). Sweets are high in fiber and are a complex carb, which means they digest more slowly than white potatoes and will not cause your blood sugar to spike. One cup of cooked sweets has 180 calories.
Sweet Potato Soup
2 slices bacon, diced
1 c diced onions
2 sticks celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
32 oz. chicken broth
In medium saucepan, cook bacon and remove to paper towel to drain. Discard all but one tablespoon of bacon fat.
In same pan, cook onion, celery, carrot and garlic in reserved bacon fat over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes.
Add potatoes and bacon to saucepan. Cover with broth. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Mash potatoes with a potato masher to desired consistency. Remove cover from pan and boil gently about 15 minutes or until soup has thickened.
My gardener said this soup was delicious and I had to agree with him (it's a beautiful color, too!). This recipe makes enough for 4 servings. I hope you'll give it a try!
Sweet Potato Soup
2 slices bacon, diced
1 c diced onions
2 sticks celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
32 oz. chicken broth
In medium saucepan, cook bacon and remove to paper towel to drain. Discard all but one tablespoon of bacon fat.
In same pan, cook onion, celery, carrot and garlic in reserved bacon fat over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes.
Add potatoes and bacon to saucepan. Cover with broth. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Mash potatoes with a potato masher to desired consistency. Remove cover from pan and boil gently about 15 minutes or until soup has thickened.
My gardener said this soup was delicious and I had to agree with him (it's a beautiful color, too!). This recipe makes enough for 4 servings. I hope you'll give it a try!
