Nutty Sweet Potato Soup

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 30 min

YIELDS: 6 servings

The bright orange flesh of a sweet potato does more than add color to your plate! Sweet potatoes are among the healthiest foods on Earth.

The unmistakable color of a sweet potato indicates a high level of carotenoids, like beta-carotene. Foods rich in beta-carotene are high in antioxidants, and may protect against colon and prostate cancers, while reducing the signs of aging. Beta-carotene is converted into Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is important to bone growth and vision health. Beta-carotene also helps the body to produce white blood cells, which are used to fight off viruses and bacteria. One medium-sized sweet potato provides over 400% of your daily Vitamin A intake. Yes, you read that right—400%.

Orange-colored sweet potatoes are high in Vitamin E for healthy, smooth skin and hair. They’re also high in Vitamin C, which comes in handy during cold and flu season.

With high levels of potassium, sweet potatoes help to regulate fluid in the body and lower blood pressure. The tubers are also high in Vitamin B6, which helps blood to flow freely through the arteries and blood vessels.

While sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, they have a low glycemic index. These root vegetables break down slowly in the body and actually help to regulate blood sugar. In addition, they are rich in manganese, which helps the body metabolize carbohydrates.

Sweet potatoes can provide some much-needed help in the digestion department. Keep the skin on when baking your next sweet potato. The skin is full of fiber to help keep your digestive system regular.

In TCM, Sweet potatoes are used for healthy digestion. Their color (yellow/orange), taste (sweet), and Earth essence (as slow-growing root vegetables) benefit the Stomach and Spleen, the organs associated with Earth and digestion.

Classical TCM texts talk about the stomach as being a “100 degree soup.” Any food that we ingest needs to be warmed and preferably cooked as to not “cool down” the soup/stomach. Thus lowering body temperature, lowering metabolism and expending extra energy on digestive processes. Raw, iced and cool food - anything colder than room temperature - will injure the digestion and lead to imbalances such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, undigested food in stools, lassitude, fatigue and poor memory. To give your digestion system a break or to soothe indigestion, eating soup is a great way to care for your body, especially as it gets colder outside.

---

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

• 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)

• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)

• 2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (2 cups)

• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes, with their juices

• 1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter

• 2 teaspoons honey

• 1/2 cup chopped scallion greens (about 3 scallions)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell pepper and carrots and cook, stirring until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the cayenne, black pepper, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute more.

3. Stir in the sweet potato, broth, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

4. Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in a regular blender in 2 batches and return the soup to the pot.

5. Add the peanut butter and honey and stir, over low heat, until the peanut butter melts. Serve warm, garnished with the scallions.

NOTE

*** When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth. ***

photo and recipe credits to Food Network