Sweet Potato Soup

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The First Restaurant Sold “Restoratives”, aka Soup

In 1765 a man by the name of Boulanger opened a shop in Paris just down the street from the Louvre.  In this shop he sold soup which he called “restaurants” or “restoratives”.  His first dish was sheep’s feet in a cream sauce.

According to Larousse’s “Gastronomique”, a culinary encyclopedia, Boulanger stenciled these words in the window of his shop, “Come to me all ye whose stomachs are aching, and I will restore you.”

It was the first restaurant.

And, as Paul Harvey used to say: “The rest is history”.

In the United States today there are more than 1 million restaurant locations.  It is a $799 billion industry.

When we’re feeling famished there’s no lack of places to restore us.

But here’s the challenge.

92% of Restaurant Meals Contain More Than Double The Number of Calories Needed

According to a study published by the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 92% of restaurant meals contain more than double the number of calories needed at each meal.

So what’s convenient isn’t necessarily great for your health.  There’s nothing wrong with eating out, but let it be the exception to the rule during the week.

Soup is a quick and delicious weeknight meal.

Sweet Potato Soup is A Hot Bowl of Steaming Goodness

Try my sweet potato soup with a kale, ginger, and walnut gremolata.  These flavors complement the sweet potato, provide color, and crunch.

You can have a hot bowl of steaming goodness within 45 minutes, start to finish.

Cooking at home means enjoying a delicious meal that won’t break the calorie or the time bank, nor the pocketbook.  The best part of weeknight cooking is eating in the comfort of your own home where you can spend unhurried time at the table to restore your stomach, and also your soul, and spirit with great conversation.

Sweet Potato Soup with Kale, Ginger, Walnut Gremolata

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• Prep Time: 0 hours
• Cook Time: 0 hours
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6 1x

Ingredients

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For the Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, cut into chunks
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 quart vegetable stock, divided
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• Kosher salt

For the Garnish

• 1 cup kale, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

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Instructions

For the Soup

1. Heat a pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add a swirl of olive oil to the heated pot and then add the onion.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and saute until the onion begins to soften.
4. Add the chopped garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes more until the garlic is fragrant.
5. Add the chunks of sweet potato and then just enough of the vegetable stock to cover the potatoes. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potato is soft.
6. Remove from heat. Allow to cool 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potato is soft.
7. Once cooled, use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Add additional stock or water as needed to achieve the consistency desired.
8. Stir in the cumin.
9. Taste and season with salt as desired.
10. Gently reheat if needed.
11. Add cream just before serving, stirring to combine.
12. Ladle soup into bowls; garnish with the kale, ginger, and walnut gremolata.

For the Garnish

1. Mix together the chopped kale, ginger, and toasted walnuts.
2. Garnish each bowl as desired.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Calories: 192
• Sugar: 6.5 g
• Sodium: 902.8 mg
• Fat: 11.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 21.9 g
• Fiber: 3.2 g
• Protein: 3.1 g
• Cholesterol: 8.5 mg