Heart Healthy Sweet Potato Soup With Buttered Pecans Recipe

Heart Healthy Sweet potato Soup With Buttered Pecans Recipe is a crowd pleaser all year round. But to me, it is the best during the winter and fall months.

Sweet potatoes are an orange vegetable and that makes them full of anthocyanins, beta-carotene and lutein.

Even though they are higher on the glycemic index. Still, they are not a vegetable to over look and use to be heart healthy.

Baby Boomer Queen’s Sweet Potato Soup with Buttered Pecans Recipe

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SWEET POTATO SOUP:

* 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
* 1 cup finely chopped leek, washed well and drained
* 2 large garlic cloves, minced
* 3 large carrots, sliced thin (about 1 1/2 cups)
* 1 bay leaf
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
* 2 pounds (about 3 large) sweet potatoes
* a 1/2-pound russet (baking) potato (in a pinch you can substitute potato flakes)
* 5 cups chicken broth
* 3/4 cup dry white wine
* 1 1/2 cups water

FOR THE BUTTERED PECANS:

* 3/4 cup chopped pecans
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

* crème fraîche or sour cream as an accompaniment

PREPARATION:

MAKING THE SOUP:
In a pot with the butter or olive oil,  cook the onion, the leek, the garlic, and the carrots, Season with the bay leaf, sea salt and white pepper to taste.

In the butter, over moderate heat, stirring the vegetables until they are are softened.

Add the sweet potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin, the russet potato, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin, the 5 cups broth, the wine, and the water, simmer the mixture, covered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.

When the sweet and russet potatoes are cooked. Discard the bay leaf.

In a blender puree the mixture in batches until it is very smooth, transferring it as it is pureed to a large saucepan.

Season the soup with salt and pepper. The soup can be made a day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.

MAKING THE BUTTERED PECANS:

In a skillet cook the pecans in the butter with sea salt to taste over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown, and transfer them to paper towels to drain. The pecans may be made 2 days in advance and kept in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag.

SERVING:

Divide the soup among bowls and top each serving with a dollop of the crème fraîche and some of the buttered pecans.

Serve with sliced on the diagonal, French bread. Buttered or with goat cheese.

RECIPE NOTE:

There are many ways you can prepare this soup. I like to add asparagus or cauliflower.

If you are diabetic and need to watch your sugar, you can substitute cauliflower instead of the russet potato to cut down the glycidic index level.

Add more chicken broth if the soup is too thick. Personally, I like thick soups.

BBAC hopes you enjoy this Baby Boomer Queen Heart Healthy Sweet Potato Soup With Buttered Pecans Recipe. There are other heart healthy recipes in our Recipe Section. Home made soups comes from the heart. Be sure to invite your friends and family over for some this delicious recipe. It makes 10 servings of Heart Healthy Sweet Potato Soup.

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