Root vegetable soup with chicken

Chunky root vegetables, slow cooked in flavorful broth and served with grilled chicken chunks on top. This simple cold weather soup is nutritious, filling and packed with flavor. Earthy red potatoes, sweet yams and sweet potatoes, carrots, leeks and parsnips all go in the broth. I also like to add eddos (although they are not technically root veggies). Eddos cook faster than the other vegetables, so add them midway in the cooking process. You can add parsnips, turnips, rutabaga and any other root vegetables you like. The robust flavor comes from garlic, onion, thyme and ginger. Make it vegetarian by omitting chicken. I love to serve this for Sunday brunch.

Root veggie soup (serves 5-6)
Ingredients: 

3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/2 inch ginger grated (optional)
6 cups chicken/vegetable broth
3 red potatoes
3-4 eddos
2 sweet potatoes
2 yams
1 parsnip
2-3 large carrots
1 stalk leek
2 tsp dry thyme
Freshly cracked black pepper
Salt to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
Fresh coriander to serve

1. Peel yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots. 
2. Dice all the veggies into large chunks. Chop leeks fine. 
3. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot at medium heat. Add minced garlic, onion and ginger. Saute for a few seconds till onion turns pink. 
4. Add all other veggies (except eddos if using) and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. 
5. Add stock and turn up the heat to high. Bring the soup to a rolling boil. Simmer covered for 10 minutes. 
6. Stir the contents and add eddos. bring to a boil again and then simmer covered for 10-15 minutes till everything is cooked through. 
7. Serve hot with/or without grilled chicken garnished with fresh coriander.

Grilled chicken
Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dry thyme
Freshly cracked black pepper
Salt to taste
Olive oil

1. Mix garlic, thyme, pepper and salt together and use it to season the chicken. 
2. Drizzle with olive oil and grill at 350 F for 20 minutes till cooked through. 
3. Remove from oven and let rest covered for a few minutes before slicing into small chunks. 
4. Serve over the soup.