Sweet Potato Soup inspired by Other Birds

This delicious soup fragrant with cumin, thyme, and turmeric and garnished with a dollop of marshmallow cream makes a fun, unique first course for your holiday dinner.

I was inspired to make this recipe after reading Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen, a novel that I won from the folks over at The Book Club Cookbook.

I had read other books by Sarah Addison Allen, The Sugar Queen, The Girl who Chased the Moon, and Garden Spells. These were all before my blog and I don't have reviews to share with you, however, I enjoyed them enough that when I saw Sarah Addison Allen's name on the book being offered in the contest, I immediately entered.

Sarah Addison Allen's books all contain a hint of magic in them.  Just enough to make them fun and make you wonder if, maybe, it might not be magic at all but a reality we refuse to see.  

In this novel, Zoey has just graduated high school.  She has applied and been accepted to a school in South Carolina and moved to a small apartment complex where she claims an apartment left to her by her mother who died when Zoey was just a young girl.

Zoey hopes to learn more about her mother.  Her memories are vague, her father never had a nice thing to say about her and her stepmother was uncomfortable when she was mentioned.  Sarah arrives at the Dellawisp complex, named after the turquoise birds who inhabit the area, with her invisible bird that has been her steadfast friend since shortly after her mother's death.

Zoey meets the apartment manager, Frasier, who welcomes her to the complex and shows her to her new apartment.  Also in residence is Mac, a chef who is grieving the loss of the only mother he ever knew, Charlotte, a henna artist, who is secretive and alone. two estranged sisters, living separately from each other, Elizabeth who is a mean, nasty, busy body, and Lucy who is reclusive and never is seen outside her apartment.

Shortly after Zoey moves in, Elizabeth is found dead in her apartment.  Frazier hires Zoey to help him go through the maze of boxes containing papers hoarded by Elizabeth.  Zoey learns that Elizabeth had a son, Oliver, who moved out of Delawisp at the first opportunity.

As Zoey gets to know and befriend her neighbors she finds herself happy as she hasn't been since her mother's death.  There is a spark between Charlotte and Mac and Zoey eagerly starts playing matchmaker.  Mac invites Charlotte and Zoey to a chef's dinner at his restaurant where the first course is a sweet potato soup served over little dollops of marshmallow.  This was my inspiration for the soup I am sharing.

This is not a love story, per se, but it is a story about love and about overcoming childhood trauma and bad parenting to find happiness and acceptance of yourself.  

Heather of Based on a True Story, hosts a group called Foodies Read and decided to try a new theme for our group by making a Bingo board for us to fill out.  Regular readers of this blog are very familiar with Foodies Read as I link up to it several times a month. 

I am having fun with this challenge. To date, I have shared the following recipes and reviews:

•  Bisquick Cookies from a Library Book
•  Lemon Pepper Potato Wedges from a Cookbook 
• Navajo Green Chile Stew from a Historical book
• Venison Banh Mi Burgers from a book about Restaurant Life
• Hot Honey Caramel Sauce from a book set in a Foreign Country
• Gnudi from a book that is Part of a Series
• Apple Pie Cookies from a book that Has Fruit on the Cover
• Lobster Salad from a book that was Published Before 2023
• No Recipe but a Review written from a book featuring Coffee or Tea
• Magically Easy Gingerbread Pumpkin Cake from a book Set on a Farm or Vineyard
• Spaghetti Carbonara from a Memoir

I am choosing to mark off  Linked Up to Foodies Read for this book.  I am hoping to score a coverall bingo by the end of the year.

Try this book, I think you will enjoy it, and try this soup, I know that you will enjoy it.  Happy Reading and Eating.

Soup, First Courses, Vegetarian, Sweet Potato, Marshmallow

Soups

American

Yield: 12 servings

Author: Wendy Klik

Sweet Potato Soup with Marshmallow Cream

This delicious soup fragrant with cumin, thyme, and turmeric and garnished with a dollop of marshmallow cream makes a fun, unique first course for your holiday dinner.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 H & 30 MTotal time: 1 H & 40 M

Ingredients

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 t. cumin
• 1 1/2 t. turmeric
• 1 t. thyme
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 7-8 c. vegetable broth
• Marshmallow Cream

Instructions

1. Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake in a preheated 400* oven for 45 minutes, until easily pierced by a fork. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
2. Remove the skins from the potatoes, dice the flesh, and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant.
4. Add the cumin, turmeric, and thyme to the pot along with the diced sweet potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add additional broth if needed to reach the desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.
6. Continue to simmer until ready to serve.
7. Divide the soup into 12 bowls, add a dollop of Marshmallow Cream to each bowl, and serve immediately.

Notes

Adapted from a recipe found at Campfire Marshmallow website.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

89.1

Fat (grams)

1.31 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.18 g

Carbs (grams)

18.45 g

Fiber (grams)

2.53 g

Net carbs

15.91 g

Sugar (grams)

4.86 g

Protein (grams)

1.37 g

Sodium (milligrams)

646.09 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

0 mg

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