Vegetable Soup -- a light supper on the 25th of December

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We don't really celebrate Christmas. We don't really celebrate anything specifically. I'd categorize us more as 'equal opportunity feast attenders'. A couple years ago, we started a tradition of breakfast on the 25th with family and friends, anyone who might be around and at loose ends, and who might enjoy a fun relaxing hangout with decent folk and decent food. It sort of lasts all day long, with people nibbling breakfast until early to mid afternoon, after which, along with anyone who is still around, we roll ourselves out the door for a stroll around the neighbourhood to admire the decorations.

After the stroll has sufficiently revved our appetites and chilled our bones, we return home for a bowl of hot soup around 4 or 5 o'clock. Then, anyone who hasn't yet left, leaves, and we pass out -- our son exhausted because he skipped his nap, and we adults exhausted because we've been going non-stop since 5 in the morning ...

Anyway, the soup this year was a big hit, and I thought I'd share the recipe with you. It's a pretty simple vegetable potage, and seemed to be just what we needed for a light meal.

I made it in my crock pot, although conventional stove top cooking in a covered pot would certainly be just as good. One nice thing about the crock pot -- I could just lift the entire crockery 'tureen' out of the metal sleeve once it had cooled to pop it in the fridge until needed. Yes, I made this a couple of days ahead. And I would urge you to make soups a couple of days ahead when possible -- the flavour is best after a day or two. 

ingredients:

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tsp finely mince garlic

1/2 cup finely diced carrot

1/4 cup finely diced celery

2 tsp extra virgin coconut oil

1/3 tsp sea salt

2 tsp coconut oil

2/3 cup finely diced asian sweet potato

1 cup cooked chickpeas

3 cups water

1 tbsp bouillion powder (Sunshine Harvest)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 tsp sea salt

2/3 cup green peas (I use frozen organic -- defrosted)

2/3 cup broccoli, cut into small bite sized pieces (about 83 grams) (I use frozen organic -- defrosted, but you can also use lightly steamed broccoli)

directions:

1. saute the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery with the sea salt and the coconut oil

2. when the vegetables are fully cooked, either add them to the crock pot and then add the chickpeas, sweet potatoes,  and water, or add the next ingredients to the pot you used for sauteeing.

3. Add the water, sweetpotato, chickpeas, bouillion seasoning, sea salt, and apple cider vinegar. Cover the crock pot, and let it do its thing.

4. when the sweet potatoes are fully cooked, turn the heat off and add the broccoli and green peas.

5. The soup is now finished, and will be best when eaten at least a day later.

6. I made 3 times this recipe because I have a very big crockpot, but it should work well in any quantity.

7. Enjoy!