Sunny Seeds Nutrition

Good afternoon, all!  The next vegetarian Instant Pot® (IP) recipe I’ll share is one that highlights the sweet potato – a nutritious vegetable that can be prepared in a variety of ways, is quite satisfying, and also happens to be the very first food both of my children tried as they embarked on their journey of solid foods as infants!  This particular recipe, which, to be clear is not for infants, is so fun because it’s a little bit sweet, a little bit salty, a little bit spicy, a little bit savory and incredibly delicious!  Hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

*Instant Pot® Savory Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt, divided into 1 teaspoon increments
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (stalks and leaves)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed
1, ~15 ounce can black beans, rinsed
2, 10 ounce cans chopped tomatoes
16 ounces water
8 ounces vegetable broth
Juice of ½ lime

Toppings (optional):

Additional Cilantro
Avocado
Crunchy chips for crumbling over the top (we enjoy using legume/brown rice-based chips)
Grated cheese
Sour cream

Instructions

1. Set the IP to Sauté. Heat the olive oil and then sauté the onions and 1 teaspoon of salt until the onions just start to caramelize (stir frequently).
2. Stir in the garlic, cilantro, spices and remaining salt. Add the sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, water and vegetable broth. Stir well.
3. Place and lock the IP lid.  Press the ‘Keep Warm’ button, and then immediately set the IP for 3 minutes on ‘Manual, High pressure.’ After the cooking segment is done, allow 5 minutes for natural release and then quickly (and carefully) release the remaining pressure.  Turn of the IP completely.
4. Open the IP lid and remove 2-3 cups of the soup (remove less if you’ll want a less-chunky soup overall, remove more if you’ll want a more-chunky soup overall).
   
5. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup that remains in the IP (careful blending – it’s hot!)
6. Add back in the soup you removed prior, plus the juice of  ½ lime.
7. Serve the soup with whatever additional toppings you prefer.

This is another recipe that is so nutritious and well-balanced (especially if/when you use some of the optional toppings) that there is not really a need for anything else at mealtime.  That being said, if you have some extra time, you could always make a quick salad, or some high-fiber garlic toast (like I talk about here), or even some not-so-sweet cornbread (as I’ve mentioned here) to accompany this delicious soup.

So, it was probably evident from my blurb at the top that our Nutrition Highlight for today is the. . .

SWEET POTATO

Sweet potatoes contain:
Carotenoids (primary type is β-carotene)/Vitamin A: Critical in proper immune function, reproduction and vision and is also involved in function of major organs like the heart, the kidneys and the lungs
Fiber: improves digestion and/or decreases blood cholesterol
Potassium: helps maintain proper blood pressure and fluid balance, lowers risk for kidney stones and is associated with increased bone mineral density
Vitamin C: acts as an antioxidant (protect cells from damaging molecules [‘free radicals’]), is a requirement for collagen production, and is important for some neurotransmitter synthesis

So, that’s all for now. Please feel free to ask questions about my experience with the IP, Weekday Vegetarianism, sweet potatoes, general nutrition or whatever! See you next time!

References:
1. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/5-winter-superfoods-sweet-potatoes-nutrient-profile
2. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-Consumer/
3. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-HealthProfessional/
4. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer/

* Recipe adapted from here: http://instantpoteats.com/instant-pot-tortilla-soup-sweet-potato-recipe/

Disclaimer:
Any content you find on Sunny Seeds Nutrition Blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition.