When the temperature drops and the sidewalks disappear beneath inches of ice, there is nothing as nice as a warm bowl of soup.

The thing is, all the additives in canned soup probably won’t gel with your New Year’s resolution, and making soup from scratch always seemed a bit intimidating. The good news is making soup doesn’t have to be a challenge. When you decide what goes into the pot, there is no reason to fear sneaky, less-than-healthy ingredients.

This recipe has a good kick to it: with just enough sweetness from the vanilla and sweet potatoes, it also has a bit of tanginess to keep things interesting, Ginger also adds zest, and comes with a slew of health benefits, including antioxidant and direct anti-inflammatory effects. This recipe is substantial enough to make a meal of and addictive enough to eat often.

Just try this recipe and see if it doesn’t silence your apprehension to make soup. Trust me, one spoonful in and you’ll forget all about your soggy socks.

Serving: Makes 3-4 bowls of soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• Fresh ginger, about the size of two thumbs, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 3 sweet potatoes, cubed
• 1 litre of vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• Half a lime, juiced

Instructions:

1. Add onion to a large soup pot, with about a tablespoon of your preferred cooking oil. Allow to simmer for a few minutes, or until onion looks translucent.
2. Add ginger and red pepper flakes and simmer for another minute or so.
   
   
3. Add sweet potato and vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down heat and let stock cook for another few minutes, or until potatoes are tender when tested with a fork. Add vanilla and stir to combine.
   
4. Now is the time to purée. An immersion blender is easiest, but if (like me) you don’t have one, your regular blender or food processer works just as well! Add ingredients in two batches, striving to keep an equivalent ratio of solid ingredients to broth in both halves. Pulse your blender until you achieve an even consistency.
5. Note: If you are using a conventional blender, take care to remove the plug from the lid after every pulse to allow steam to escape. Otherwise the pressure will build and you could end up with a hot, soupy mess in your kitchen.
6. Return the puréed soup to the pot. Add lime juice and stir thoroughly.
   

Serve and enjoy. I topped my bowls with a drizzle of coconut milk and extra red pepper flakes – delicious!

This recipe will keep in the fridge for about a week, so go ahead and make a big batch to have over a few days. To reheat, either throw in a pot on the stove or pop into the microwave for a couple minutes.

This soup is much easier to make than you’d expect, but tastes fantastic! Use it to impress your friends and feed your soul.