The plant pigment anthocyanin is what gives blue/purple fruits and vegetables their distinctive colour. Anthocyanin also has antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage.

Roasted Purple Potato & Cauliflower Soup

This vibrant soup is comforting and flavourful. It’s made with purple sweet potatoes, cauliflower and carrots, however any colour will do if you cannot find purple veggies. Free of gluten, grains, & dairy. Vegan and paleo friendly.
 
INGREDIENTS:

• avocado or coconut oil for drizzling in the pan
• 4-5 cups medium sized cauliflower florets (any colour)
• 2 heaped cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes (purple or orange if you can't find the purple ones)
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• ⅓ cup sliced fennel bulb
• 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped (purple or orange)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 48 oz. low salt chicken or vegetable stock, more may be needed

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Place cauliflower florets and sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
• Place on the bottom rack of the oven for 30 minutes, flipping veggies midway through baking, until veggies have begun to caramelize and are slightly tender.
• To make the soup base, drizzle a little oil into a large dutch oven/pot and place on the stove over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in fennel, garlic, and carrots. Continue to cook vegetables until fragrant and slightly wilted.
• Add roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes to the pot. Pour in enough broth to generously cover all the veggies, about 6-8 cups. Bring soup to a boil, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until large vegetables are tender and can easily be pierced with a fork, about 10-15 minutes. Season broth with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Use an immersion blender or transfer soup to a high-powered blender (may need to do a few batches) and blend until creamy. Add additional broth to thin or seasoning, if needed.
• Serve soup warm. Optional: top with homemade croutons (bread cubes pan-fried with a little butter), quality olive oil, yoghurt, coconut cream, or sprigs of fennel.