Unicorn Soup
It’s September and that means it’s SOUP SEASON! And not only is it soup season, it’s also HALLOWEEN season!
My kids (and husband) are not huge soup fans, but I make it weekly despite their grumbling. You just can’t beat the nutrition punch of bone broth. I’ve taken to theming our soups to get the fam more excited about eating soup. This strategy usually works pretty well. I’ve made Monster Soup (recipe coming soon), Halloween Soup (recipe coming soon), Stone Soup, and now, UNICORN SOUP.
If your kids aren’t into unicorns, call it a One-Eyed, One-Horned, Flying Purple People Eater Soup. You could very easily make this soup with orange sweet potatoes and it could be an orange George Sanderson (from Monsters Inc.) soup.
Unicorn soup is basically a purple sweet potato and ginger soup. My kids get a kick out of purple veggies. Purple sweet and regular potatoes, onions (they are called red, but they really look purple, right?) carrots, cauliflower, kale, eggplants, peppers, cabbage, basil, asparagus, etc… They all come in purple hues.
Purple and blue plant foods are full of antioxidants. They are known to help protect the brain and nervous system. They also contain anthocyanins, which could help prevent chronic illness. (Source)
Flavor note: go light on the ginger and jalapenos or just leave them out if you are worried about little taste buds.
BONUS: There’s a magic surprise with this soup! It will change color. I’m not joking. It’s very exciting for kids and for adults. If you add a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice over this soup it will go from purple to bright pink.
Unicorn Soup
Ingredients
- 6 purple sweet potatoes (depending on the size)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 5 purple carrots (depending on the size), roughly chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 2 inches fresh ginger (or less to taste), peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers (or less to taste), roughly chopped
- 4 cups chicken bone broth
- 1 can coconut milk
- Salt to taste
- Lime and jalapenos for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash potatoes and prick with a fork. Roast the potatoes until they are soft, this will depend on the size. When they are cool enough to handle, pull the skin off and reserve the flesh.
- In a soup pot, melt butter over medium heat, add the onion and a dash of salt and sauté until the onion is soft and starts to caramelize. Add in the carrots, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño(s) with a dash of salt and sauté until fragrant.
- When all the veggies are tender and fragrant, add in the broth and the sweet potatoes and simmer. Purée the soup with an immersion blender or transfer it to a regular blender and purée until smooth. Stir in the coconut milk and check for seasoning, add salt if needed.
