Curried Sweet Potato and Quinoa Soup

This soup is a lovely combination of flavors and texture. Its mild curry taste is enhanced with orange and a hint of maple syrup.

The toasted walnuts add taste and an appealing bit of crunch, while the optional yogurt provides a creamy finish. Although this is a great cold weather soup, it’s light enough to be enjoyed any time of the year — perhaps even for dinner with the addition of salad and some whole-grain bread.

Makes 6 servings
Vegan Friendly

You Will Need
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced gingerroot
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
2 cups sweet potato purée (see Tip)
6 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
3/4 cup quinoa
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toasted chopped walnuts or sliced almonds
Plain yogurt, optional

What to Do
1. In a large saucepan or stockpot, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until carrots have softened, about 7 minutes.

2. Add garlic, ginger, curry powder and orange zest and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add sweet potato and stock and stir well. Bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until quinoa is tender and flavors have blended, about 30 minutes.

3. Add orange juice and maple syrup and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with toasted walnuts and a drizzle of yogurt, if using.

Tip: To get this quantity of puréed sweet potato, bake, peel and mash 2 medium sweet potatoes, each about 6 oz. You can also use a can (14 oz) of sweet potato purée.

© Judith Finlayson, The Complete Whole Grains Cookbook: 150 Recipes for Healthy Living, Robert Rose (2008)