This article was sponsored by Orgain. All opinions are my own.
Soup in August?
Yes. And it’s so delicious.
Not to worry- this isn’t a hot soup that will overheat you in August. I know most of you are hot enough from the summer heat to even think about eating a hot soup, which is why I created this super creamy sweet potato soup for you.
I’ve been really into pureeing my roasted veggies and making lots of soups and dips this summer (and from the look of my cookbook, I’m sure you’ve realized the condiment and soup chapters are huge because I’m in love with pureeing a whole lot of goodness into a food processor and creating magical flavor in every bite). This is what got me thinking…I haven’t made a chilled soup for you yet. How can that be? I eat pureed soups all week long in my home because they are so easy to make and they’re naturally sweet.
Let’s talk about how easy these soups are and how you can make a bunch of them (with different veggies) all year long. These soups can be served chilled, room temperature or hot depending on the season- today we’re chilling this soup because it’s too hot in Manhattan to sip on a hot soup. Sound good?
Here we go.
I start all of my pureed soups by selecting a hearty veggie (like beets, sweet potatoes, yams, squash, etc) and then I roast the veggie in the oven (I like a slow roast at 350 degrees F to keep the veggies nice n’ tender without burning or getting to crispy on the outside) with extra-virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper. When the veggies are done roasting, I let them cool on the counter and peel them if needed. Then, I add the roasted veggies to my food processor with a few ingredients to round out the flavors and to create a hearty boost of protein and fiber. I always include a good source of protein and oftentimes I’ll add soaked nuts, seeds or cooked grains such as quinoa or millet, however, when I’m in a rush or when it’s too hot to turn on my stove-top along with my oven, I reach for a super clean protein powder that I can trust. Why? Well, because if I just pureed sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper, I’d end up hungry in about an hour and I don’t have time for that. Ha. I want a meal that’s going to satisfy me until my next meal. The worst feeling is to make a lovely meal and then end up hungry shortly after. I’m sure you know what I mean if you’ve ever made a salad without enough fat or protein or if you’ve ever eaten fruit alone or veggies and salsa alone and then the next thing you realize is that you’re not satisfied and your body is actually still hungry. Who’s with me here? I know you’ve been there before. Hence, the reason I scooped up a new protein powder and went to town.
I’ve been using the Orgain Organic Protein Powder in the last few months because it delivers super clean, organic protein to build lean muscle on my body (yay this is what I need after not being able to exercise when I had Lyme disease the last 4 years) and satisfy my hunger for increased energy, endurance in my yoga classes and walks in the park, and healthy weight management.
Why Orgain? Well there are a ton of protein powders out there but this one is silky smooth and delicious without grit. You know what I’m talking about here, don’t you? That feeling of gritty sand protein powder is enough to never want to set your eyes on another protein powder ever again. Trust me. I’ve been there and I abandoned all my protein powders for awhile because I couldn’t find one that was ORGANIC, tasted AMAZING, and wasn’t GRITTY or GROSS. Ha. They use plant-based protein from organic brown rice, hemp, chia, and pea proteins along with lots of organic fiber, vitamins, minerals, Omega 3’s and no added sugars. Yes that’s right. No added sugars in site. Talk about heaven on Earth. That made me want to do a happy dance. The best part is that this protein powder was created by Andrew Abraham MD, because he couldn’t find clean nutritional products when he was dealing with health issues. I could totally relate to his story of feeling like you don’t know what to trust when you’re not feeling well and your gut can’t digest anything. He made it his personal mission to formulate the healthiest nutritional products based on real food, using only clean, organic ingredients to help people in their own battles with illness as well as to achieve and maintain good health. And so now you can clearly see why I adore Andrew and his philosophy. He’s the real deal and so is this protein powder.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, you’ll see that this protein powder is USDA certified organic, gluten, dairy and soy free (and of course Non-GMO) and made without artificial sweeteners, colors or preservatives. I used their Sweet Vanilla Bean protein powder and it was so delicious. I decided to use it in this soup for a touch of naturally sweet flavor along with the sweet potatoes that are always super sweet. No added sugar here, my friends. That’s enough to make you want to throw a summer block party, isn’t it?
Dig in and let me know how you like it. I made this for my parents when I was visiting them at the shore last weekend and my father (yes 100% Italian Tony Valpone) LOVED it. That’s enough to make me want to sing from the heavens. When an Italian man wants to eat a pureed veggie soup with a plant-based protein powder in it, you know you’ve done something right.
Enjoy!
xo
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Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why I eat organic: The Benefits of Eating Organic.
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- ½ cup purified water room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup lite coconut milk
- 2 scoops Orgain Sweet Vanilla Bean Organic Plant Based Protein Powder
- 1 large Fuji apple diced
- 6 fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Poke holes in the sweet potatoes using a fork. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large rimmed baking sheet and bake the sweet potatoes for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool until cool enough to touch.
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Transfer the sweet potatoes to a food processor with the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
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To serve cool, place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to chill, then transfer to two serving bowls and serve chilled.
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To serve warm (in the winter), serve immediately after pureeing the ingredients while the sweet potatoes are still warm. You can also use warm/hot water to make the soup hotter, if desired.
This post was sponsored by Orgain. All opinions are my own.
i am just a soup lover and this makes my top soup list!!
Oh yum! This looks insanely delicious! I am on board!