Purple Sweet Potato Soup with Roasted Cauliflower and Tarragon

Purple Sweet Potato Soup with Roasted Cauliflower and Tarragon


I have a potato obsession. But my favorite potato is the mighty sweet potato. Unlike a regular potato, a nightshade family member, the sweet potato is a large edible root within the morning glory family. And sweet potatoes come in many colors too!

While potatoes with orange flesh are the richest in beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant “Phyto” chemicals that give vegetables their bright colors. Phytochemicals are biologically active compounds found in plants and are known to:

  • Aid the function of the immune system.
  • Protect cells and DNA from damage that may lead to cancer.
  • Reduce inflammation.
  • Slow the growth rate of some cancer cells.
  • Help regulate hormones.

Why use a purple potato? Because anthocyanins have the capacity to lower blood pressure, improve visual acuity, reduce cancer cell proliferation, inhibit tumor formation, prevent diabetes, and lower the risk of CVD, which modulates cognitive and motor function.

This pretty warm winter soup was inspired by another anthocyanin…the açaí bowl!. It’s super healthy comes together very quickly. You can easily make this a “no-oil” soup by steaming your vegetables instead of roasting them. 

If you choose to use oil, be sure to keep the temperature well below the oil’s smoke point or the point at which the oil starts to burn (that’s about 410 degrees for extra virgin or unrefined olive oil). Because overheating oil breaks down the nutritional composition of the oil changes the flavor, and releases harmful free radicals. 

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Purple Sweet Potato Soup with Roasted Cauliflower and Tarragon

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch

Description

I added a delicious beet puree to this soup, but you can add whatever you want.  Good choices might be pieces of roasted cauliflower, pumpkins seeds, hemp seeds, or soy cream. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 large purple sweet potatoes, peeled and medium diced
  • 1 large head of organic cauliflower, chopped into medium florets
  • 2 large leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, mined
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
  • 1 (32 oz) container organic vegetable stock
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Add chopped potatoes and cauliflower to a mixing bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. 
  3. Add spices to a small bowl and mix well. 
  4. Spread vegetables evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
  5. Sprinkle the spice mix over vegetables. Place baking sheet in the oven, and roast vegetable for 30 minutes, turning vegetables at the half-way mark. 
  6. When vegetables are done, remove from oven and let cool. 
  7. Warm a dutch oven over medium heat. When the pan is heated, add oil. When oil begins to shimmer, add the leeks and saute until leeks have softened and are slightly brown. 
  8. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. 
  9. Add cooled vegetables and vegetable stock to a dutch oven, and stir. 
  10. When the soup is warmed, use an immersion blender, or carefully ladle half of the soup mixture into a blender. (If using a high-speed blender, be careful to hold the lid, as the heat can build pressure and the lid can fly off). Continue until all the soup is blended to the consistency you prefer. **I blended the first batch until entirely smooth. For the second batch, I blended it to have some texture and then mixed the two. 
  11. Return to dutch oven and taste for seasoning. 
  12. Serve warm and top with fresh tarragon, roasted cauliflower, hemp seeds, pumpkins seeds (pepita’s), or beet puree. 

Notes

**While blending the soup, I placed the first pureed batch into a large mixing bowl.  

White Bean Chili with Cumin and Green Chilies

White Bean Chili with Cumin and Green Chilies

I love chili on a cold day! This chili was a favorite of ours until we went vegan. I felt so overwhelmed in the beginning that many recipes sat on the proverbial shelf. This recipe was one of them, until now! 

I love soy curls! I had heard about them for several years but never bought any. Then one day, I found myself craving an old favorite, the carne asada taco. After perusing dozens of vegan recipes, I discovered one using soy curls. I bought them and well, the rest they say is history. Since then, I’ve used them in making fajitas, Chili Verdes, and now, in this white bean chili. 

My old recipe used chicken, of course, and white cheese. This new version uses soy curls and my béchamel sauce. I always keep a container of the sauce in my freezer, so that’s what I used. If you want a nut-free version, then soy cream is a great option. I added a bit of chili powder at the end, too, just for a bit of kick!

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White Bean Chili with Cumin and Green Chilies

  • Author: Stephanie Bosch

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium white onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic , finely minced
  • 1 (32 oz) container organic vegetable broth
  • 1 (8 oz) package of Butler’s soy curls (or other favorite brand)
  • 1 (7 oz) can diced green chilies
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup soy cream or béchamel sauce
  • 1 1/4 cup frozen or fresh corn
  • 3 (15 oz) cans white chili beans*
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
  • Tortilla chips or strips, vegan sour cream, sliced avocado for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, add soy curls and cover with 32 oz. of vegetable stock. Let sit until soy curls have rehydrated, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Warm a dutch oven over medium heat. When heated, add oil. When the oil is shimmering, add onion and sauté until onions are translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
  3. When soy curls have rehydrated, use a slotted spoon and remove soy curls from stock (reserving stock). Add soy curls to the pan and sauté until brown (about 7-8 minutes). If the curls begin to stick, add stock 2 tablespoons at a time.
  4. Add garlic, and sauté until fragrant—about 30 seconds.
  5. Add spices and green chilis to the pan. Dry sauté for approximately 1-2 minutes, or until spices are fragrant.
  6. Add vegetable broth and deglaze the pan. (Stir the bottom of the pan and removed all fond)
  7. Add white chili beans and corn. Stir well.
  8. Cook chili until ingredients have warmed. About 15 minutes.
  9. Add soy cream or béchamel sauce and stir until warmed through.
  10. Check for seasoning and serve warm.
  11. Top with vegan sour cream, avocados, and cilantro, diced onions, optional.

Notes

I used white chili beans in a mild sauce.