Recipe: Sweet Potato Swiss Chard Soup

This hearty but simple soup is packed full of the flavors of the fall harvest. With sweet potatoes, onions, and chard, you'll be in a fall veggie lover's dream with this easy and flavorful vegetarian soup! Just a few, simple, fresh ingredients make this a winner to make, and to eat. It's great as a side dish, or even as a main vegetarian course. Use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth for a different flavor as a non-vegetarian option.

Sweet Potato Swiss Chard Soup
(Serves 4 - 6 as a side dish.)

Ingredients:

1 large onion, coarse diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
6 spring onions, chopped, include green tops
6 cups vegetable broth
1 lb Swiss chard, washed, trimmed, and coarse chopped
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Put a big soup pot over medium heat, add the onion and olive oil and cook until onion softens, then add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, bring to a boil, then immediately turn heat to low and simmer gently for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are all tender. 
• Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed, and serve hot.

Recipe: Sweet Cider Red Cabbage Soup

I'm not sure if the origins of this recipe are Russian or not, but it seems a bit Russian to me.... It's a great fall dish, warming and sweet, and packed with the flavors of fall. The red cabbage gives it a beautiful color, and while it may seem to be out of your comfort zone when it comes to flavors, it's simple enough to take a risk on. This would be a nice side dish with a pork roast. Give this one a try, and see how this simple vegetarian peasant soup suits your palate.

Sweet Cider Red Cabbage Soup
(Serves 2-4.)

Ingredients:

1 medium size head red cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 cups real apple cider (or apple juice)
1 cup water
1 regular size carrot, coarse grated

Directions: 

• In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, put the lid on the pot, and simmer very slowly for 20 minutes, or until cabbage is very tender.
• Serve hot. 
• To balance the sweetness of this soup you may want to add a dollop of Greek yogurt to the top of each serving.

Recipe: Hearty Root Vegetable Stew

This recipe is the essence of fall in a pot! It makes a great side dish, or a vegetarian main dish, and is a quick and simple way to use up some of those fall and winter root veggies you just harvested.

Serve hot, with crusty bread and a fall salad like the one we shared on Wednesday, and you'll have a perfect meal for a cool fall evening!

Hearty Root Vegetable Stew
(Serves 4-6.)

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
1 white potato
1 small rutabaga
2 onions
3 parsnips
4 regular carrots
6 cups vegetable broth
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Peel and dice all the vegetables, then add to a big soup pot with the vegetable broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Put pot over medium heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, lightly cover the pot and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are fork tender, then serve hot.
• You may put this soup in the blender and puree for a creamy soup instead of a chunky soup, if you wish. Sprinkle chopped fresh flat leaf parsley on top of each serving if you wish.