It is officially soup season! The chill in the air is finally, finally here and I am more than ready to break out my soup pot and begin making some fall meals. I cannot believe that it is already November 1st but I am a big fan of celebrating each transition of the seasons. We have spent the last few weekends apple picking, pumpkin carving, hiking, perfect ways to wind down.

I went to the farmers market without much of a plan and ended up choosing kale, spinach, and sweet potatoes for this soup. I love the hearty addition of sweet potato, and the bright orange and green make for a beautiful meal.

Broth based soups make for a filling meal for few calories. It’s also a great way to increase your intake of nutrient-dense vegetables. You really can’t go wrong with soup- I rarely have a plan and usually end up making up ingredients as I go.

Sweet Potato & Spinach Soup

Ingredients:
1 bunch spinach, washed and torn into pieces
1 bunch kale, washed and roughly torn in pieces
1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 large white potato, cubed
1 cup uncooked Acini Di Pepe pasta
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried oregano
8 cups vegetable broth

In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp. Earth Balance butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, salt, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add potatoes, sage, oregano, cayenne pepper and another pinch salt/pepper. Cook for another ten minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the vegetable broth and reduce heat to low. Add Acini Di Pepe or other small pasta, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in spinach and kale during last 10 minutes of cooking. You want the greens to just be wilted, not overcooked.

Hearty, spicy, and high-protein, this stew is delicious. An easy way to sneak in 2 different types of legumes without being typical bean soup.

My suggestion? Make a batch and share a few cups with your neighbor. It’s enjoyable to show others how delicious healthy eating really is!

Ingredients:

3 sweet potatoes, diced
4 celery stalks, cut into thin 1/2 moons
1 large leek, halved and sliced into thin 1/2 moons
6 large carrots, diced
1/2 cup yellow lentils
1 tbsp. grated, fresh ginger
1 bunch cilantro, minced
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
2 tbsp. curry powder
2 tbsp. oil
2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked

Heat the oil over medium heat in a soup pot or dutch oven. Add the leeks, a pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, sweet potato and curry powder. Stir and continue to cook, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the lentils and 7 cups of water. Turn heat down to low, cover and cook for ~1 1/2-2 hours. With a wire whisk, quickly stir the soup until the lentils break down and thicken the soup.

Add the cooked garbanzo beans and cook an additional 20-30 minutes. If it’s too thick, thin with a bit of water.

Add the fresh cilantro and lemon juice just before serving.

Enjoy!

Per serving (8): 360 calories, 7g fat, 61g CHO, 15.5g fiber, 15g protein

Looking for a hearty, high-protein, cholesterol free breakfast? I’ve got you covered. A twist on the more traditional breakfast burrito, this taco is savory, a little sweet, with the right amount of spice.

Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients: Serves 4

8 corn tortillas
1 recipe, pepper n onion  scramble
1 recipe, roasted sweet potatoes
Avocado Salsa Verde Sauce (they sell this at Trader Joe’s, or substitute your favorite salsa Verde and add 1 diced avocado)

Pepper and Onion Scramble

1 pound tofu, drained and pressed
1/2 onion, minced
1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper, minced
1/2 tsp. turmeric
dash smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Start by sweating the onion and pepper over medium high heat with a tablespoon of either broth, water, or oil. Cook until onion becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Crumble the tofu between your hands into the skillet, it should look “scrambled” Add the salt, turmeric and paprika. Stir to combine and continue to cook over medium heat until warm, about 5 minutes.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

2 sweet potatoes, diced
1/2 bunch parsley, minced
1/2 tbsp. oil

To speed the process up for a quick weekday meal, warm the sweet potatoes by either steaming them or pop them in the microwave for a few minutes. I cubed and then steamed mine until they were soft. This really cuts down the roasting time. Combine the sweet potatoes and oil in a roasting pan and roast at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes until crispy. You could also do this on the stove. Once potatoes have crisped up, combine them with the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble:

Start with a warmed corn tortilla (heat it in a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes per side). Layer the tofu scramble and the sweet potatoes. Top with the avocado salsa verde or sliced avocado and 1 tbsp. salsa verde.

What are your favorite breakfast foods?