Week 46: Grateful for Slow Cooked Sweet Potato Soup

Thanksgiving sucks!

Actually, I don’t really feel that way, but I figured it would get your attention, and, as I’m writing in this moment right now, it’s exactly how I feel.

I’ve had 54 years of Thanksgiving celebrations and no two have been the same. As a kid, there were years where our huge dining table was fully extended and jam-packed with over 20 people, most of whom were not blood relatives (my mom had a heart for taking in the stragglers and single friends). Then there were years when we were graciously hosted at the tables of others. But, there were also years where it felt lonely, and she and I watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade together.

As an adult, I’ve shared a few Thanksgiving feasts with my sisters and a few feasts with my in-laws. But some of my favorite holiday memories are those of the goofy, creative Thanksgivings spent with the kids, where we played Native American and Pilgrim games.

Since moving to New York 11 years ago, my family has enjoyed an amazing Thanksgiving at a fabulous home in Harlem, a bohemian Thanksgiving in the Catskills, and even a vegan Thanksgiving in Manhattan. But, sadly, we have also had our fair share of some lonely Thanksgivings, feeling disconnected from family.

This year is another Thanksgiving reinvention because this will be my first Thanksgiving since my husband of 32 years and I became separated.

There, I said it out loud on the interwebs.

It’s hard.
It’s painful.
In fact, the holiday season is going to be a big, messy and likely sad unknown.

But, as far as next Thursday is concerned, I’m going to spend it with two of my favorite people—my son Alex and his incredible partner, Jenny. The three of us are vegetarian (I’m mostly plant-based these days), and are in agreement that Thanksgiving isn’t a real holiday.
After all, were the Native Americans truly thankful that we brought them smallpox-infested blankets, took their land, and destroyed their culture? I don’t think so!

Rather than spend hours and hours on food preparation, watching a parade or watching football, we’ll be spending the day truly being grateful for each other and the beauty that surrounds us in the Catskills by hiking, coming home for a vegetarian meal, and watching our favorite holiday movie,
“Elf”.

Sure, I’ll miss the turkey, mashed potatoes and my mother’s stuffing, which, through the years, Rick made while I prepared the appetizers, vegetables, side dishes, desserts, and took care of overall aesthetics.

But, I WILL spend time in gratitude.
I WILL make sure to take time to meditate.
I WILL enjoy the Sweet Potato Soup (see recipe below), in addition to another tasty tofu dish and greens, with two really special people.

I wish all of you a day of gratitude and that you spend the day exactly as YOU choose.

Original Recipe

Crazy four-page soup recipe!

 

 

The Process:
Not a lot to think about here, when it came to the recipe revamp.
It is a FOUR-page recipe and that’s too much. I didn’t even read the entire recipe. I’m all about one pot and slow-cooked soups on chilly days. Bam, the first thing to change!

I don’t eat ham and wanted to create a plant-based coconut soup, but I also didn’t want it to have an overpowering Indian food flavor by adding curry, etc…. Plus, I decided to tone down the sweetness by removing the apple, adding red pepper and dry hard cider for sweetness. I was also torn about which form of coconut milk to add. While canned coconut milk has fewer ingredients, compared to coconut milk from a carton, it’s very high in calories; I opted for the canned to keep this recipe less processed and cleaner, although I think it would be fine either way.

The Results:
I tasted the simmering soup before adding in the coconut milk, and while I think it would be fine without the additional calories, the creaminess that the coconut milk provides is so comforting on a chilly autumn day when it feels like your life is imploding.
Side note: my immersion blender is very scary, so as a result I kept some of the soup chunky (like a stew) and skipped the blending. I loved this soup and will make it often, plus it inspired me to think about other ways to add hard cider to recipes 😉

I made three soup toppings, but did not use recipes…

Roasted Curry Chickpeas
Combine drained chickpeas with 2 Tbs. of olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste), a pinch of cumin and a dash of curry powder; stir.
Roast on a parchment-covered cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Polenta Croutons
Follow the directions for the topping above, but replace the chickpeas with chopped polenta squares.

Roasted Leeks
Slice the leeks VERY thin. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toast at 400 degrees, stirring frequently, for about 10-15 minutes.

Slow Cooked Creamy Sweet Potato Soup
A comforting vegan autumn soup

Ingredients

• 2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly cut

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut

• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

• 1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced

• 1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

• 1 clove garlic, chopped or minced

• 1/2 cup of chopped parsley

• 32 oz. vegetable broth

• 1/2-1 cup hard apple cider (I used a dry cider)

• 1-14 oz can coconut milk

• 1 tsp. sea salt (adjust to taste)

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (adjust to taste)

Instructions:
Place sweet potatoes, pepper, carrots, onions, parsley, ginger, garlic, vegetable broth, cinnamon, and cider in a crock pot; stir.

Cook, covered, on high heat for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Timing will vary depending on your pot.

Stir in coconut milk.

Serve as a stew or use an immersion blender to puree.

Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Top with polenta croutons, roasted chickpeas, or toasted leeks

 

Week 46 Recipe Pick

A super simple addition to our plant-based Thanksgiving meal. Not sure if it really is circa 1770…I think Mom made that up.

Tags: coconut, crockpot, slow-cooked, thai