It's a Bird, It's a Plane...No It's Soupergirl

Just read an inspiring article in Flavor Magazine titled The Adventures of Soupergirl. Sara Polon started her own business creating healthy, delicious vegan soups with the freshest local ingredients and delivering them to people's homes and offices in Washington DC. Every Monday the Soupergirl website posts which soups will be available the following week. You can place your order online and the soup will be delivered the following week.

Polon said that after reading Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, she decided to team up with her mother (alias Soupermom) and launch her business. She said, "A lot of people want to eat locally. They want to eat healthfully. But nobody has the time. And we're filling that void." She also added, "Luckily, we live in an area where we have four full seasons. And with each season comes new produce."

Polon shared her recipe for Gingered Sweet Potato Soup in the article.

Yields: 7 cups

2 teaspoons olive oil (as needed)
1 medium leek, white part only, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed well, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
One 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped (set aside some grated ginger too)
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in soup pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and carrot and cook, stirring until they begin to soften (2-3 minutes). Stir in sweet potatoes and chopped ginger. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until sweet potatoes are soft (about 30 minutes). Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. If it is too thick, add water. Salt to taste. Before serving, add some grated ginger for extra sharpness. Top with cilantro.