Sweet Potato Soup

Book Update:  I began reading “Sugar, Fat, Salt: How the Food Giants Hooked Us” by Michael Moss.  (Photo from Amazon) 

Michael Moss won the Pulitzer Prize in 2010 – so, he isn’t some nut job trying to join the nutrition/food parade.  Instead, this is a journalist looking into how the food companies have tried hard and poured millions of dollars into hooking consumers on their food and products.  So far I have really enjoyed it.  He does mention the story that won him the Pulitzer Prize.  A woman named Stephanie ate a burger that was tainted with E coli and ended up in a medically induced coma, then paralyzed and cognitively impaired.  Following where the meat was processed took an entire book apparently… which is just scary in itself and part of the meat was traced as far away as Uruguay.  

Recipe Update:  Many people try to set goals and lose weight at the start of the new year.  I intended to try and put together my own weight update and journey for January 1st, and hopefully I will get that together soon.  This would have been a GREAT recipe to go with that topic!  In September 2010, I weighed 200 pounds.  Okay, yes I was pregnant at the time.  But STILL.   In January 2011, I was given the two thumbs up to go back to exercising again after giving birth to my ten pound baby girl.  I was at 165 lbs then (from water, fluids, baby, etc.).  After 2 months, I was back down to my original weight of 150 lbs.  After another 2 months, I was down to 135 lbs and stayed within 3 pounds of that weight for the past 3 years.  No pills, no shakes, no removing large portions of macro nutrients.

Now this soup would be a great and filling way to lose the weight or simply a comforting and delicious soup to go with any lunch whether you’re dieting or not.  This soup is so healthy, full of flavor and easy to make a large batch.  You are consuming the liquid that the sweet potatoes cook in, so there is no loss of vitamins through dumping any water out.  Note:  if you don’t like sweet potatoes, you won’t like this recipe.  I’m the only one in the house that will eat a sweet potato more or less and loved it.  The hubby didn’t like it so much which isn’t surprising… since he doesn’t like sweet potatoes. 

Freezer Friendly!  Simply cool and freezer in a freezer bag.  Thaw in the fridge and reheat!

Sweet Potato Soup
about 4  one cup servings (feel free to double the recipe!)

1/2 Tb. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 small, 2 medium or 1 super large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
3 cups chicken broth

1.  In a large 5 qt. pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  
2.  Throw in the onion, garlic, potato and coriander.  Saute them for 3-4 minutes.  The onion will begin to soften and become translucent.
3.  Add the chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to medium low.  Simmer the soup until the potatoes are soft.
4.  Puree the soup in batches in the food processor, a blender, or use an immersion blender inside the pot.

Recipe adapted from Food Network Kitchen’s “1,000 Easy Recipes”