Sopa de Batata para Bretaña

That's Spanish for "Sweet Potato Soup for Brittany," y'all!

I recently discovered the surprisingly delicious combo of black beans and sweet potato, so I thought I'd experiment a bit with this beautiful (and super-nutritious) marriage. Cilantro, my friend Brittany's favourite herb (she and I share a love of Mexican culinary delights,) had to be involved, so I chopped up plenty of this amazing-smelling greenery and put my spice collection to work in search of the perfect complementary flavours. The result of my experiment is a filling, good-for-you soup that holds its own as a satisfying meal.

This is only my second attempt at homemade soup, and I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with myself! Once you get started, it's hard to stop throwing things into the food processor. I set out with the goal of making a vegan version, but if you're feelin' spunky, you might wanna experiment adding some dairy (1/2 of skim milk, perhaps?)

In an attempt to water down my very thick concoction, I got brave and threw a little wine into the mix. This would've been a better idea if the bottle I had in the fridge was NOT a fruity pinot grigio; if I were you, I'd use something super dry like savignon blanc. If you don't have any wine on hand, no worries; I'm sure it'll be great without the spiking!

Sweet potatoes pack an insanely high content of vitamin A. They're also high in vitamin C and fiber, and contain significant amounts of of iron and calcium, which makes them an important dietary component for vegans and vegetarians. Top the soup with 1/2 cup of black beans, and you've got yourself a protein party! Good luck with your soup-making endeavors, I think you'll have fun experimenting. I want to hear all about your adventures!

Ingredients (makes 4 servings--great the next day for lunch!):
6 cups peeled sweet potatoes, coursely chopped (I used almost a full bag)
1/2 cup water
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 cup very dry white wine
1/2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 tsp cumin
salt & pepper to taste

topping:
one can black beans, rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP cilantro (I like to snip mine into little pieces with scissors)
juice of 1/2 lime

optional toppings: grilled chicken strips, fat-free sour cream, hot sauce, crushed red pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Peel and chop sweet potatoes. Place them on a 1"-deep baking sheet and drizzle them with 1/2 cup of water (this keeps them from drying out without the added fat of oil.) Roast the potatoes until they're soft to the touch--20 minutes should do the trick.
2. Mince the garlic and cilantro and throw them into a bowl with the rinsed beans. Squeeze the lime over the beans and stir well.
3. When the sweet potatoes are done, throw all of the soup ingredients into your blender or food processor and give it a whirl (depending on the size and power of your machine, you might need to blend your ingredients in two batches.)
4. Dish everything up all pretty-like. Ole!