Consider this your Thanksgiving alternative to sweet potato pie!
In issue one of Cancer Wellness, we interviewed chef and blogger Rebecca Katz about how she crafts recipes for cancer patients. In her books “The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen” and “One Bite at a Time,” Katz works to “move the needle in the right direction” toward making healthy food more accessible.
Have a sweet tooth? This recipe should satisfy. “Enzymes in the [sweet potato] root convert starch into sweetness as it grows, yet the root still retains plenty of nutrition, including vitamin B6 and potassium,” says Katz.
Serves 4
ingredients
- 8 cups Magic Mineral Broth (see recipe in Cancer Wellness issue one, page 4)
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans coconut milk
- 3 (1-inch) pieces of fresh ginger
- 2 shallot bulbs, halved and bruised
- 3 kaffir lime leaves (or 1 teaspoon lime zest)
- 1 stalk of lemongrass, cut in chunks and bruised
- 4 sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- squeeze of lime juice
To garnish:
- fresh mint, chopped
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- shaved coconut, toasted
Directions
- In a 6-quart pot, bring the broth, coconut milk, ginger, shallots, lime leaves, lemongrass, and ¼ teaspoon salt to a slow boil over medium heat. Let the flavors infuse for about 20 minutes. Decrease heat to low and continue to let the broth develop for another 30 to 40 minutes; it will be worth the wait.
- Remove the shallots, lime leaves, and lemongrass with a slotted spoon. Turn the heat back up to medium and cook the sweet potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes.
- In a blender, purée small batches of the broth and potatoes until smooth. Remember not to fill your blender more than two-thirds, and put a towel over the top!
- Repeat until all the soup is blended.
- Reheat, ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with mint, cilantro, and coconut.
Photo courtesy of Scott Peterson. Reprinted with permission from “One Bite at a Time: Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Patients and Their Friends.” Copyright © 2008 by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson, Ten Speed Press, a division of the Crown Publishing Group, Berkeley, CA.
