Sweet Potato & Pepper Soup

Serves 6-8 people

This super healthy and low-calorie soup is my Aunt Lisette’s favourite. It is very simple to make and a great starter or take-to-work lunch. This soup is bursting with vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants and fibre: a true super foods soup. When she shared her recipe with me, I loved the fact that this soup does not contain any stock. Once the veggies are cooked in water and blended, you add tomato juice instead.  This soup has a subtle sweetness, yet offers a variety of flavors.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. of Olive Oil

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

2 red peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped

3 large sweet potatoes, skin off and diced

1L of tomato juice

Salt & pepper

Cayenne pepper

Fresh Basil for garnish

Preparation

Heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the finely chopped red chili pepper and gently fry for a few minutes. Then add the garlic and red onion and fry without coloring until softened. Now add the chopped peppers and diced potatoes. Cover the ingredients with water, but do make sure that you don’t add to much water. It should be just enough to cook the vegetables.

Once boiling, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and peppers are tender.

Now allow the soup to cool off for a minute. Carefully transfer all the ingredients into your blender or use a handheld blender to cream the soup. Return the soup to a clean pan and add the tomato juice. Bring back to a simmer, taste your soup and season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Before serving, ladle into bowls and sprinkle some fresh basil on top.

Bon Appetite 😉 

Cauliflower Soup

Cauliflower Soup

Serves 6

Yes, you can! Maria’s favorite recipe is very easy to prepare and can be made within 30 minutes. The soup is very tasty: creamy without any dairy and very healthy. The only downside is the smell while cooking, but the cauliflower sure makes up in nutrients. Make sure you don’t overcook, to keep most of the vegetable’s vitamins. Go for an organic cauliflower with white heads, and crisp green leaves. The whiter, the fresher.

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower

1,5L chicken or beef or vegetable stock

salt

pepper

truffle oil

croutons

Preparation

Cut off the individual florets from the central stem of the cauliflower and cut again if necessary. The florets should be of the same size, so they all cook evenly.  Steam or cook the cauliflower in 5-10 minutes. During cooking or steaming you can test with the tip of a knife to make sure they don’t overcook.

Purée the cauliflower in a food processor or with a blender. Slowly pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, and return to a simmer.

Pretty it up with a swirl of truffle oil and scatter the croutons on top. Serve the soup immediately.

Bon Appetite 😉