Sweet Potato & Celery Cream Soup

This winter I was very much into a soup mood, so I tried various recipes and created some of my own too.

Even though it is already spring I continue to cook a pot of soup whenever it is rainy or grim day like today. Sweet potato and celery cream soup is one of my own recipes and I would like to share it with you as this soup recipe turned out to be very tasty. I just made a pot of this soup today and can’t wait to have a bowl or two.

When I made this soup for the first time I only had one big sweet potato, two carrots and 6 stalks of celery in my fridge, so this is how this recipe was born. I also used a small onion and two cloves of garlic and spices such a dash of white pepper, freshly ground black pepper, nutmeg and most importantly 2 teaspoon turmeric.

Since I have learned about the health benefits of turmeric I use every opportunity to incorporate this spice into my recipes.

Few years back I have never used turmeric in my cooking, but after learning how healthy this spice is I became a real turmeric fan.

Some may find turmeric powder bitter or otherwise off-putting, but when a teaspoon or two is added to a pot of soup or stew, the flavor disperses and adds a subtle depth and complexity that most people may find appealing.

Turmeric is an orange-colored spice imported from India and is part of the ginger family. It has been a staple in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cooking for thousands of years.

Recent research reveals that this herb is a powerful healer due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties and it has proved to be beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.
For more about turmeric health benefits you may visit http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/the-amazing-health-benefits-of-turmeric and/or http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html

Now back to the soup recipe.

Ingredients:

1 big sweet potato peeled and chopped in big chunks
6-8 celery stalks – chopped coarsely
2 medium carrots – chopped in big chunks
1 small onion – diced
2 cloves of garlic- diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste
5 cups of vegetable broth (or 5 cups of water and 1 cube of veggie bullion)
2 teaspoon turmeric
Dash of white pepper, freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup grated cheese of your choice (I used cheddar)

Method:

In a medium sized sauce pan cook onion and garlic in olive until golden brown. Add chopped vegetables, salt and broth and cook for 30 minutes or until potato is softened.
Remove the pot from the stove and puree the vegetables using the stick blender. After the pureeing is done add spices, salt, butter, milk and cheese. Return the pot to the stove and cook for few more minutes.
Note: After pureeing more water or milk may be added to dilute the soup to the desired thickness.

If you try this recipe I would love to know how you would rate it in a scale of 1 to 5.

Thank you for reading.
Besa