Soup Day! Spicy Coconut Soup with Sweet Potatos and Collard Greens

The chill outside makes me want to curl up with a good book, a cozy blanket and a steaming cup of tea. Or better yet, how about a piping hot bowl of spicy soup?? I love making soup at home on cold days. It warms up the house (or the little apartment, in my case) and creates delicious aromas that linger on for hours. One of my very favorite cookbooks right now is “Fresh Food Fast” by Peter Berley. The book is well written and filled with gorgeous mouthwatering photos. The recipes focus on seasonal vegetarian menus and include a complete grocery and equipment list and game plan to take you through each recipe step by step. To top it off, all these great meals made with fresh ingredients are meant to be prepared in under an hour. So, for those of you looking to lighten up and try a few meatless dishes or maybe add more veggies to your diet while still cooking meals at home this book is definitely for you!  

Now, back to our soup at hand. This rich coconut broth based sweet potato and collard greens soup is the perfect choice for a chilly day meal. The spice factor also makes it a great “sick” day choice, especially if you are nursing a cold. Clears the sinuses, you know what I mean??  It’s light and hearty at the same time and features a unique combination of asian inspired spices. Of course, I added a tiny dash of curry powder to the original recipe for a little extra bite because I like my spice. The soup on it’s own is a perfect one-bowl meal. But, for added heartiness make some Crispy Tempeh Strips served alongside a little bowl of brown jasmine rice to round out a healthy comforting meal. You won’t miss the meat, I promise!

Spicy Coconut Sweet Potato Soup With Collard Greens

Adapted from “Fresh Food Fast” by Peter Berley

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cups of diced onion

2 tsp kosher salt

1 large sweet potato cut into cubes

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 jalapeno, finely minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp coriander seeds toasted and crushed or 1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp tumeric

1 14 oz can coconut milk

1 bunch of collard greens, remove stems and cut in strips crosswise

1 lime

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Preparation:

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute until soft, about 3 minutes.

Add the sweet potato, garlic, jalapeno, ginger, coriander and tumeric and saute for about 2 min. Add 2 cups of water, coconut milk, 2 tsp of salt, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Add the collards and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes. You can add more water if the soup is too thick. 

Crispy Tempeh Strips

1 package of soy tempeh, cut into strips

canola oil

kosher salt

Heat oil in skillet and add tempeh strips. Brown on all sides and place on a paper towel. Salt immediately.

Serve each bowl of soup with a sprinkling of freshly chopped cilantro, a generous squeeze of lime and a spoonful of jasmine rice if you wish.

Tagged as: collard greens, crispy tempeh, fast healthy dishes, healthy vegetarian meals, spicy coconut soup