Chunky Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup

Let me just say that I am not vegan and before you decide that vegan soup is not for you, WAIT. I am a warm weather girl, I mean 100 degrees is perfect all the time. So someone please tell me why I live in the Midwest where its freezing? It's 40 degrees with peek-a-boo sun and damp from a cold dreary rain that lasted all day yesterday (sigh). Now back to soup! The best part of Autumn for me is the incredible soups that I make. I mean really, with broth you can make just about any soup just pick your ingredients and you've got a big old bowl of love. Today, I got back in the kitchen to make soup and not just any soup, yes, vegan soup. I am totally not a vegan, but the cool thing, in my opinion, is that vegans have really mastered the art of cooking with spices to add depth and interest. And when you have chunky veggies, well now you're speaking my language. You don't need to be a chef or even a really good cook. All you need to know how to do is follow a recipe. So are you ready, you meat eaters? Let's make today meatless Thursday.

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes peeled and diced 

1 onion finely diced

1 red bell pepper

2 handfuls of kale greens finely cut

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

7 cups vegetable stock

3 tbsp Garam Masala Spice Blend

1 tbsp Anti Inflammation Spice Blend

2 cups of canned chickpeas drained and rinsed

Salt to taste

In a large pot heat olive oil until hot. Over a medium flame, stir in the onions and the sweet potatoes and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Next, add the garam masala and the Anti Inflammation Spice Blend mix well so that the onions and potatoes are coated with the spices (2 minutes). Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add the chickpeas and the charred red bell pepper (see directions for making charred red peppers below).  Cover the pot and cook an additional 15 minutes.

Finally, add kale greens and salt to taste. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes for the kale green to wilt a bit.

Charred Red Pepper: simply place the pepper directly on the flame until it is charred on all sides which takes about 6 minutes. Turn the pepper when you see it blistering. Once you have charred the pepper, scrape the really burned parts off and the give it a good fine chop. If this scares you, just buy red bell pepper in a jar (no one is judging).

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