Written for The River Current publication, October 24, 2013
I
have recently started a new thing that I am fondly calling, Soup for Seniors. The seniors in this case being my father and
my mother’s sister, who recently relocated to the Marysville area. Both of them live alone and are not exactly
too frisky when it comes to getting around.
My
thought is that if I take them a little care package offering a hearty soup,
some sort of muffin or bread, and a fruit, that I will have ensured at least a
couple of meals for them that they would not have to prepare for themselves.
Another
motivating factor is that I will be able to prepare some things for them that
will be healthier than what they might be fixing for themselves from a
can or a box….pretty clever, huh?
Making
soup is typically an easy thing to do and as you know, one can never seem to
make a small pot of soup! This way, we
all benefit from my efforts. With the
weather quickly cooling off, what could be better to warm their hearts than a
steamy bowl of comforting soup?
Spicy Sweet Potato and Black Bean Soup
This soup guarantees
energy in a bowl from the hearty combo of nutrient-packed ingredients: sweet potatoes, black beans and corn. This recipe is a keeper; just the right amount of heat for a chilly fall evening!
1/2 lb. spicy sausage
1 Tbsp. oil
2 medium sweet
potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red pepper,
seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 fresh jalapeno
pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove pressed garlic
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 – 15 oz. can black
beans, rinsed and drained
1 – 14.5 oz. can diced
tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn
¼ cup fresh cilantro,
chopped
Salt & pepper, to
taste
1. In a large pot,
brown sausage. Remove from pan and set on paper towel to drain while you sauté the veggies in the 1 Tbsp. oil:
sweet potatoes, red pepper, onion, and jalapeno. Cook 5 minutes; adding garlic during last
minute of cooking.
2. Stir in chili
powder and cumin; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for approximately 10 minutes
or until sweet potatoes are tender.
3. Add broth, beans, tomatoes and browned sausage. Bring to boiling; stir in
frozen corn, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for an additional 30 minutes or
so.
4. Before serving,
stir in cilantro. Season
to taste with salt and pepper.
That is a great tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere.
ReplyDeleteBrief but very precise information… Thanks
for sharing this one. A must read article!