Harvest Soup

I stumbled upon this recipe when searching for things to make for our first celebration of Samhain. I mixed several recommendations I found and like the results. It was rooty and spicy with a little bit of sweetness from the apples. It’s perfect with some fresh croutons from some leftover bread and some crispy bacon on top.

The other great thing about this recipe? It is easily adjusted to be vegan friendly and is already gluten-free. You can please all the preferences around the table.

Ingredients

• 4 turnips
• 1 large (or 2 small) apples (I used granny smith)
• 2 large potatoes
• 2 T butter (or vegan substitute)
• 4 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp rubbed sage
• Salt & Pepper
• Leftover bread (Italian/French/something loafy, gluten-free if needed)
• Bacon (optional – or vegan substitute, perhaps Aunt Amy’s Eggplant Bacon?)

Instruments

• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Various measuring cups, spoons, etc.
• Large saucepan
• Stirrin’ spoon
• Blender

Instructions

1. Peel, rinse, and dice the turnips, apple(s), and potatoes.
2. In a large saucepan or stockpot over medium high heat, melt the butter and added the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. They should look sort of evenly glazed and it should smell awesome.
3. Add the vegetable stock, nutmeg, and sage and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Pour the soup into a blender and blend to your desired consistency. For this soup I really enjoyed a very smooth consistency so I blended all the chunks away.
5. Pour the soup back into the pot and bring back to a boil, the reduce heat to low and warm through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. If the soup is too thick for you liking, you can add water (or even a splash or two of milk or cream) to create the desired consistency. *When I made it I think I added about 1/2 cup of whole milk and it was really nice.
7. Serve with the toasted croutons and chunks of crispy bacon on top.