October Guest Blogger recipe: Mexican Sweet Potato Soup

This month's guest recipe comes to us from Alli of Always AlliSunny, a dietetics student and food blogger.  This dish features seasonal/fall ingredients, and I assume many were purchased at Baltimore's Waverly Farmers Market!  Please buy local whenever possible, to support your community and your health.

Mexican Sweet Potato Soup

First of all, I'd like to thank bMoreGlutenFree for asking me to be their guest blogger this month and to share a delicious gluten-free recipe perfect for the fall season. Though not gluten-free myself, as a soon-to-be dietitian (and fellow foodie blogger), I am very sympathetic of people with specific food allergies and intolerances. I love coming up with recipes and meal plans that fit people's needs while still allowing them to thoroughly enjoy great food without feeling like they are missing out. So here is a great gluten-free fall recipe that I am happy to share!!

Let's preface this by saying that I'm obsessed with the abundance of root vegetables that defines the fall season. Colorful, earthy, hearty, soulful, versatile... beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, radishes, rutabagas, the list goes on. Sweet potatoes were my root vegetable of choice this week from the market and what better way to kick off fall then with a delicious soup?!

Sweet potatoes (which are not even in the same family as regular potatoes, surprisingly) are loaded with vitamin A from the orange-licious beta-carotene, vitamin C, fiber and tons of other important vitamins and minerals, which make it no surprise that sweet potatoes are considered one of the most nutritious vegetables in the world! But more importantly, sweet potatoes just plain taste good, they are cheap, and they are so so so versatile... a true staple in my kitchen. So here's a super simple and flavorful soup to celebrate the changing of the seasons, the wonderful autumn harvest, the onset of cooler weather, back to school time, or whatever it is you have to celebrate in your life!

Ingredients:

• 1 tblsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup carrots and celery (traditional/optional soup starters- adds good flavor)
• 3 large (or 4 medium) sweet potatoes, chopped
• 6-8 cups vegetable broth (I used my own homemade vegetable broth, but you can used store brought, preferably low sodium)
• 1 bay leaf
• Spices: salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, cilantro, cayenne (if you like it hot!)
• Chipotle hot sauce (optional)

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often until softened.

2. Add the sweet potatoes and cover with vegetable broth. Add the bayleaf, and spices/hot sauce (a few dashes of each, depending on your preferences and what you have).

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes are soft (~20-30min).

4. Use an immersion hand mixer or blender to blend the soup until smooth and creamy.

5. Adjust the taste with spices/hot sauce to your liking. You can also add milk or yogurt for extra creaminess. Top with a sprig of parsley or cilantro, maybe a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, and enjoy!