.new year's day soup.

Since discovering this recipe less than a month ago,

I've made it three times.

So far everyone who's tried it (even if they were skeptical at the ingredients) has gone back for seconds.

Sweet Potato Cauliflower Soup

(adapted from Manifest Vegan,
which is also where the photo is from)

1 large caulifower head, chopped into bite-size pieces

2-3 med-large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces

1 onion, diced

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups water

4 cups chicken broth

good olive oil

cumin, cinnamon, black pepper

salt

 Scatter cauliflower on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Sprinkle liberally with the black pepper, cumin, and cinnamon.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Roll pieces around to coat in olive oil and spices.

Roast at 400 degrees 20-30 minutes, until browned on top but not too soft.

Set aside.
(Warning: It's really easy to want to just eat them. Make extra.)

Saute onions and garlic in a T or two of olive oil for a minute,

then add water, broth, sweet potato, a teaspoon-ish of salt, and a few shakes of black pepper.

(The water-broth combo is basically to taste.

The original recipe just called for water, which also leaves it vegan.

I like chicken broth better, but didn't want to overpower the tastes of the veggies and spices.

Thus, a combo.)

Bring to a boil,

then simmer until sweet potatoes are tender.

Either blend half the mixture and then re-mix it in

or, if you're lazy like me,

mash a bunch of the sweet potatoes against the side of the pot and stir them back in well.

Mix in roasted cauliflower pieces.

Serve hot.

*******

I concluded my basically perfect first day of 2013
(walked into town in the brilliantly sunny, freezing cold morning,
spent the morning knitting and reading Nathan Coulter,
spent the afternoon with Breanna keeping me company as I unpacked)

with my little house filled with friends over to eat said soup together and play Apples to Apples.

So far I like this year.