Spring may be around the corner but it's not too late for a steamy cup of soup.  This recipe, from the very tasty You Won't Believe It's Vegan! cookbook, combines simple ingredients and great taste.  As someone who is working on going vegetarian (though not vegan) I appreciate the easy-to-make, sensible recipes in this book.  And while its focus is on vegan cooking, you can easily substitute in non-vegan ingredients into most of the recipes.  This recipe uses chipotle, a smoke-dried jalapeno chili, found in health food & ethnic groceries.  You can even order them online.  Enjoy the soup!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and sliced thickly
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, or fresh
• 4 cups vegan vegetable stock or water
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 chipotle
• 2 teaspoons sea salt

1. In a heavy 6-quart stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.  Add the celery and carrots, and cook until softened.
2. Add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and stock and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until all the vegetables are softened.
3. Add the maple syrup, chipotle, and salt.
4. Puree until completely smooth, either with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. 

Scarlett's Tips for Success:  If you don't have or don't care about using vegan veggie stock, just use regular vegetarian stock.  Also, never fill a blender more than halfway when pureeing hot foods.  You'll avoid painful burns that way.