Sweet Potato, Coconut & Cumin Soup
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This is a nice quick easy meal that takes only a few minutes to get going on the stove top and then you can walk away while it cooks and get other things done while you’re waiting. It’s such a comforting soup for when the weather is a bit cold and thanks to the sweet potatoes is a low GI meal.
Sweet Potatoes are a bit of a superfood in their own right, they are full of vitamins and minerals. Sweet potatoes also contain both soluble and insoluble fibre making them great for your gut health [1]. Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants which protect your DNA from damage from free radicals that can cause inflammation. The purple varieties have an even higher nutrient profile than the regular orange sweet potatoes and are a better choice if you can get your hands on them. This soup is packed with beta carotene which is converted to vitamin A in your body. Which means that only one serve of this soup provides more than your daily requirements for vitamin A.
The red lentils ensure that you are getting some protein with this meal and are also full of fibre to keep your microbiome happy. While soaking red lentils isn’t really necessary for most people, I prefer to give them a bit of a soak while I’m getting the rest of the ingredients ready to wash off a bit of the phytate content. Phytates, also called phytic acid, are an anti-nutrient compound that can impair your digestive function and resist digestion, which can mean that you may not be able to get all the nutrients out of the meal. Phytates can bind to minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and manganese making them temporarily unable to be used in the body [2]. Which is why it's a good idea to soak some certain plant foods to break down this compound.
Once you get this soup to the boil, reduce it to a low simmer, but every time you walk past give it a bit of a stir to make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom of the pot. You may need to add water from time to time if it reduces too much and gets too thick.
"...one serve of this soup provides more than your daily requirements for vitamin A."
This soup goes well with some nice freshly toasted bread, on mine I put some toasted cashew nuts and sesame seeds. With the complex carbs and low glycemic index, this soup will keep you full and happy!
References
Mei X, Mu TH, Han JJ. Composition and physicochemical properties of dietary fiber extracted from residues of 10 varieties of sweet potato by a sieving method. J Agric Food Chem. 2010;58(12):7305-7310. doi:10.1021/jf101021s
Bohn L, Meyer AS, Rasmussen SK. Phytate: impact on environment and human nutrition. A challenge for molecular breeding. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2008;9(3):165-191. doi:10.1631/jzus.B0710640
Sweet Potato, Coconut & Cumin Soup
By Kim Jansen
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Yields: 7 portions
A pretty quick and simple soup to throw together that packs a lot of flavour and nutrition.
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 sweet potatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 cup of red lentils (soaked and rinsed)
- 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 x 400ml tins of coconut milk
- 400ml of vegetable stock or water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- A few leaves of basil and mint
- (optional) juice of ½ a lemon
Instructions
- Sautee the onion and garlic in coconut oil in a large pot until onions soften a bit, about 2 minutes.
- Add spices and continue to fry off for another minute.
- Add the sweet potato, red lentils, coconut milk, vegetable stock or water, salt and nutritional yeast flakes and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
- Remove pot from the heat and use a stick blender to puree until smooth.
- Add basil and fresh mint and enjoy your soup!
- (Optional – add toasted cashew nuts and sesame seeds, and some chili flakes if you like a little bit of a kick)
Cook time:
Total time:
Yield: 7 portions
Category: Soup
Protein: 10.4 grams
Fat: 15.5 grams
Net Carbs: 27.4 grams
Fibre: 4 grams
