Creamy Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Creamy Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Adapted From Cooking Light Magazine

This soup is easy to make and soooo satisfying, almost tastes like dessert.

Perfect for the holidays.  Make it ahead and freeze ,  just add the half and half and/or sour cream after you reheat.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup chopped onion

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

4 ¾ cups cubed peeled sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds)

3 ½ cups water

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

3 cups chopped carrot (about 1 pound)

¼ cup half and half, (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

 ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup sour cream (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1.       Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tender , stirring occasionally.

2.       Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg; cook 1 minute.

3.       Move onion mixture to side of pan; add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to open space in pan.

4.       Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute or until butter begins to brown.

5.       Add sweet potatoes, 3 ½ cups water, broth, and carrot, bring to boil.

6.       Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

7.       Blend with an immersion blender. A great tool for soup, consider purchasing one if you don’t have one.

8.       If you don’t have an immersion blender….place half of soup mixture in a blender.

9.       Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender.

10.   Place clean towel over opening in blender lid ( to avoid splatters)

11.   Blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl.

12.   Repeat procedure with remain in soup mixture.

13.   Stir in half and half, salt and pepper.

14.   Ladle about I cup soup into bowl. Top with 2 teaspoons sour cream, if desired and parsley.

Yield 8 servings.

Calories: 173; Fat: 6.7g; cholesterol: 18mg; calcium: 77mg; carbohydrate 25.7g; sodium: 415 mg; protein: 3.6g; fiber: 5g; iron: 1mg

Collard Green Wrap with Lemony White Bean Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• zest of 1 organic lemon
• juice of half of lemon
• 1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3 collard greens, (look for tender leaves, fresh from the garden or farmer’s market is best)

Directions:

1. Add white beans to a bowl and gently mash with a fork (they don’t all have to be completely mashed).
2. Add chopped celery to the beans.
3. In a small bowl, add Dijon mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley and whisk with olive oil until creamy.
4. Add dressing to the beans and celery, add salt and pepper to taste, and gently mix until combined.
5. Cut off the tip of the Collard green stalk and spoon 1/3 of the white bean salad or “mock tuna salad” onto the bottom half of the green (lengthwise).
6. Roll up the green, and slice into 3 even rolls.
7. If you’d like more color, add some chopped or shredded carrots to the wrap. Enjoy!

Variations:

Instead of the white cannellini beans, you can substitute this vegan tuna salad with tuna or cubed chicken or you own version of chicken, turkey or tuna salad.

Bacon-Braised Escarole

Impress your company with this one, it takes a little more time….but it’s worth it!

Serves 8.  
(Halve ingredients for 4, best served freshly made.)
Working Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 strips nitrate-free bacon, cut crosswise into ¼ inch strips
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 heads escarole, torn into large pieces
• 3 tablespoons soy or shoyu sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

1.    In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until it begins to crisp, 8 minutes
2.    Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, 2-3 minutes.
3.    Stir in tomatoes and cook 2 minutes more.
4.    Season with salt and pepper.
5.    Add escarole, soy sauce, vinegar, and red pepper.
6.    Stir until escarole wilts, 3-4 minutes.
7.    Add more salt and pepper, if desired, before serving.

Per Serving: Protein: 7g; fat:11g; carbohydrate 15g; fiber:9g; sodium:589mcg; cholesterol:15mg; calories: 177