Smoky Sweet Potato Chowder

*whew* After all the excitement of the tomato giveaway, I almost wasn't sure what to post next. Fortunately, we've been cooking up a storm in the past week or two.

Sweet potatoes... simple food with a pretty impressive nutritional profile. These humble tubers contain almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, four times the RDA for beta carotene, and (when eaten with the skin intact) sweet potatoes have more fiber than oatmeal.

Now, if you're anything like me, the profile alone isn't all that matters. Sure, I can choke down a whole bunch of veg just to get my daily intake. But, it's really my preference to sit down with something that seriously tastes good. So, that's normally how we approach cooking on the healthier side. It's all about getting maximum nutrition AND maximum flavor.

One of our favorite ways to prep sweet potatoes is to make fries out of them -- either by roasting them in the oven or (*gasp*) frying them up in the deep fryer. They make a seriously tasty substitute for starchy old French fries, especially when tossed with a bit of chili powder and accompanied by a bit of smoky barbeque sauce.

However, our second favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes is to make them into soup. I always figure that soup gives pretty good mileage when it comes to cold weather eating. It's hearty, filling, and leftovers work well to take to work in the days following. We're also big fans of the soup/sammich combo, especially when we can pair a great soup with a panini (like our chicken panini with sundried tomato pesto). For more great panini recipes, check out PaniniKathy's blog over at Panini Happy.

We always start with a nice pile of diced sweet potato (skin on, of course).
Combine those potato chunks with a bit of sauteed onion, garlic, some Mexican oregano, a couple of chipotle peppers, and a nice healthy dose of vegetable stock. Simmer for 20-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Add a bit of honey and a swirl of heavy cream. Then, give the soup a whorl with your immersion blender... add some black beans and a dash of salt & pepper... and enjoy. This soup is also phenomenal with a few roasted red peppers added to the mix for flavor.
Creamy, smoky, sweet... and good for you. Dare I say this soup is the perfect treat on a cold winter's night?

We especially love it served with a side of sour apple and saurkraut quesadillas.

Smoky Sweet Potato Chowder


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