That Beyonce song is in my head. “All the single ladies, all the single ladies” calling them out to circle up, to come together. The only difference is that the song playing in my head is, “All the crunchy ladies, all the crunchy ladies . . .”
Because damn, if these past 10 days haven’t been energetically turbulent. I have heard from so many people (and I have been navigating some churning waves myself) that things just feel off, difficult, crunchy.
And so, let’s shake it off together. Today ushers in a NEW MOON. Always a good time to let things go and open up to fresh energies.
Some people prefer full moons, I have always preferred new moons.
There’s just something about a clean slate that will pull me in every time.
Yesterday, in the comments, Tracey asked me about the recipe for a sweet potato soup I make. Tracey had come to the Squam Studio we ran a few weeks ago (where I cook all the meals, boo-YAH) and she liked one of my soups.
Good news and bad news on that request.
The good news is I happened to have most of the ingredients on hand and Asya coming over for dinner last night so I was already planning to whip up some kind of soup. The bad news is I never actually follow a true recipe so all I can share is what I kinda sorta do. It’s super easy and I think you can do great things with this, but you are on your own for getting it to taste exactly right for you.
Step One – Gather Up the following:
- olive oil
- some chopped onion (I use less than half because I don’t want a heavy onion flavor)
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp crushed hot red pepper (I probably use more than that)
- half red bell pepper chopped
- 2 tsp salt (I might use more than that)
- 3-4 sweet potatoes (yams also work)
- 8 cups water
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
- optional: fresh lemon (I pretty much always squeeze in fresh lemon juice to soup – you won’t taste it but it makes it more vibrant somehow)
- optional toppings: sunflower seeds, chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, plain greek yogurt
- olive oil goes in the pot
- throw in the onions and saute til soft (pro tip: don’t burn them)
- add in garlic, red peppers, spices
- add in chopped sweet potatoes, water, coconut milkÂ
- simmer til sweet potatoes are soft
Blend with a stick blender or in an actual blender (if you don’t mind cleaning a blender, I am super lazy so I use a stick blender so I can whip it all together in the same pot).
I grilled up some kale and put that in the bowl first and then ladled soup over top and sprinkled sunflower seeds on top (because that’s what I had — loads of options to top this with, go wild).
et, voila!
Morning Elizabeth, ha you have me singing it now! I love your line 'let things go and open up to fresh energies' I am always on the lookout for insights on letting go.
I hope your crunchiness is a signpost to point you in your next direction, and that ease will be waiting.
Thank you for the recipe, and making it (and thank you Forrest for capturing the images as it makes it easier to imagine) I will be making it this weekend. I loved ALL your soups and everything else you made too, so fresh and healthy, the whole experience of the studio week was fab. Happy Wednesday xo
Hi Tracey!! I added one thing I forgot– I pretty much always squeeze fresh lemon juice into my cooking and I definitely do that with this soup– you won't taste lemon– but it will give the soup more body and vibrance. MISSING you and will share more about how you helped me embroider as I keep blogging this month . .xoxo
Well, thank you!! For making this effort to share steps and pics, I'm so going to try this now. One thing that also goes great on top of creamy soups is toasted pine nuts 🙂 I've been eating sweet potato every morning for breakfast, it's an odd breakfast dish but super tasty, satisfying and lasting: steam small sweet potato and mash wish 1tbsp coconut oil, then add 1/2 shredded apple, 1/2 kiwi and small handful of toasted almond slivers. May that be the only crunchiness for us today! xo
Yum, I have learned that Coconute milk added to a soup makes the soup so luscious. Not milk, cream or even rice milk .. but coconut! have to try this recipe
I could totally see you with a squirrel tied to your head! 😄😄😄
ha!!! probably wouldn't change that much, hmmmm XXOO 🙂
yes! Coconut milk is the MOST amazing— freeze it for fabulous “whipped crea” it is the vegan's dream XO
oh yes! you are basically eating this exact soup but not as soup .. 🙂
This sounds SO GOOD! And I've been on the prowl for some new soup recipes for the season as well, since we're finally starting to get cool down here. Can't wait to try this next week. (Because I really can't be asked to go to the grocery store more than once a week.)
This sounds SO GOOD! And I've been on the prowl for some new soup recipes for the season as well, since we're finally starting to get cool down here. Can't wait to try this next week. (Because I really can't be asked to go to the grocery store more than once a week.)
In Judiasm the new moon is also the beginning of a new month. It is considered a bit like a mini mini happy holiday. There are extra prayers and at school there are always treats for the kids. When there is a month that has a holiday in it ,sometimes songs are song that belong to that holiday. This month is Kislev and the month of Chanukah. Although I am not working today, my thought is that students are enjoying jelly donuts – a special Chanukah treat.
Thank you for your recipe and to Forrest for joining to make a great tutorial. Super large sweet potatoes arrived in our CSA box. I will definitely be making your soup. The warming spices are my favorite!
Oh Elizabeth! That's it! Your soup looks luscious and will have to be our dinner tonight or tomorrow night. Soup is possibly my favorite things to eat, and one reason I look forward to fall and winter so much. And by the way…so nice to see you back here. Yay! I was starting to think perhaps you'd given up posting here. Yay again! Reading your words always enriches my day. xxoo
Addendum: I made this soup tonight, and had it with a freshly baked baguette. To die for! Seriously, this will now be in my regular soup rotation. I know how tedious it can be to do any sort of recipe or food blogging, especially when you tend to not measure things (I know I basically never do) but thanks so much for going to the effort 🙂
Addendum: I made this soup tonight, and had it with a freshly baked baguette. To die for! Seriously, this will now be in my regular soup rotation. I know how tedious it can be to do any sort of recipe or food blogging, especially when you tend to not measure things (I know I basically never do) but thanks so much for going to the effort 🙂
oh YAY!!!!! isn't it SOooooo good? XXOXO
I had gone on walkabout for sure– it was the November blogging challenge thing that got me back in– XOOX
oh Debbie– I love knowing these traditions– they warm my heart and fire up my imagination!! Sending you BIG love!! XOXO