Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger

Karina's gluten free sweet potato soup is vegan and dairy-free.
A comforting sweet potato soup for the sun deprived  soul. With ginger.

Winter Solstice is approaching fast. The days now are so short I've been warning Steve to hide all sharp instruments. Your intrepid gluten-free goddess, you see, has that infamous seasonal wrestle with gloom this sun deprived time of year. In a perfect world I'd be spending the month of December in Hawaii like certain lucky individuals, soaking up vitamin D with the surfer girls and feeling all mahalo instead of Get me the bleep outa here before I scream.

So I've been on a sweet potato kick. I can't get enough of these ruby and golden hued tubers- perfect for winter comfort food. So tasty. And versatile. Astute readers may have noticed the trend already.

I've been stuffing enchiladas with cooked sweet potatoes (vegetarian with black beans), roasting up Santa Fe seasoned Sweet Potato Fries, and kicking up my gluten-free cornbread to a whole new level. I am, officially, it seems, sweet potato crazy.

Today's offering, however is savory slow cooked goodness- healthy, vegan and guilt-free. And perfect for serving on the eve of Winter Solstice- or any other sun (and son), light and life affirming holiday you and your family celebrate. Because nothing soothes the light deprived soul more than the silky sweet bite of this nutritious and fiber rich root vegetable.

Stir up a bowl of sunshine. Light some candles. Kiss your favorite people.

Love wins over darkness. I know this.





Vegan sweet potato soup with ginger
Ginger adds a lovely kick to sweet potato soup.


Karina's Sweet Potato Soup Recipe

Crank up your slow cooker and simmer this super easy soup all day long- while you busy yourself with holiday preparations, cookie baking or bundling up for a walk in the snow.

Ingredients:

1 drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion, diced fine
Fresh grated ginger root, to taste
2 lbs. sweet potatoes (I use a mix of small ruby yams and medium orange sweet potatoes), peeled and diced
Fresh water, enough to cover the potatoes (some folks prefer broth, but I like to keep the taste of the sweet potato clean and simple)
Sea salt, to taste
A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg or cardamom, to taste

Instructions:

Ready your slow cooker and turn it on high. Drizzle a touch of olive oil in the bottom of the crock. When the oil is warm stir in the onion and ginger, cover and heat till fragrant (you can skip this small step if you like, it's just something I like to do to infuse the oil and jump start the flavors). Add the diced sweet potatoes. Cover with fresh water. Add a little salt, to taste. I sprinkle in a small amount of cinnamon and warm spices, too. Cover.

Slow cook on high or low according to your manufacturer's instructions for potato soup.

When the potatoes are very tender, use an immersion blender to puree the soup.

If the soup is too thick, add more liquid to thin.

Taste test and add more sea salt and pepper, to taste.

This simple soup is so creamy I didn't think it needed any richness added- but if you would prefer to make it a cream style soup stir in a cup or so of coconut milk (or non-dairy milk) and taste test. Cover and gently heat through.

This soup reheats well- we had leftovers the next day- delicious.

Serves 4 to 6.

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