Sweet sweet potato soup

Thanks to the farmer's market this past weekend, we had lovely soup, which was awesome on this rainy rainy evening.

2 sweet potatoes, quartered & baked
1 apple, cored, peeled and baked
garlic cloves, peeled and roasted
olive oil
onion
celery
carrots
lemon
garam masala
cumin
vegetable broth
mint (courtesy of our yard)

Roast potatoes, apple, and garlic at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Allow potatoes to cool & remove skins. Simmer veg broth, onions, olive oil, celery, and carrots in a big pot. Blend potatoes, apple, garlic, and a bit of broth in a food processor. Add to soup pot. Add spices. Bring to boil. Add lemon zest. Add sprig of mint for garnish.

Everything in the Fridge Lentil Soup

We make this a lot. Tonight we had friends over so it tasted even better than usual. The recipe varies, according to what's laying around in the 'fridge, but the split red lentils (masoordal) and coconut milk are constants. Sometimes a sweet potato makes it in. Sometimes whole cherry tomatoes. Red lentils cook quickly and are extra-good. The trick is to "toast" the lentils in a wee bit of olive oil alone in the pan for a few minutes before adding any liquid. Then add everything and simmer away...
Squeeze lime juice on top just before serving.

2 cups of lentils
1 can of coconut milk
1 can of water
1 can of tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
1 bulb of garlic
1 carrot, chopped
a bunch of baby bok choy
1 whole green pepper, chopped
1/2 of a jalapeno
white pepper
black pepper
paprika
tumeric
nutmeg
cardamom
1 bulb of lemongrass, peeled and chopped
1 lime