#247 – Chunky Sweet Potato Soup and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

Chunky Sweet Potato Soup

• 2 Tbsps. olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika or drop of liquid smoke
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Salt & pepper
• 1 qt. vegetable broth
• 2 lbs. sweet potatoes
• 2 cans black beans, drained
• 2 cups water 1 lime
• 1 avocado

In a 5- to 6-quart sauce pot, heat oil on medium. Add onion and red pepper; cook 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add broth, potatoes, beans, water, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to medium, simmer 15 minutes. Transfer 3 cusps of soup to blender. Puree until smooth; return to pot. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Serve, garnished with avocado and cilantro, with lime.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 15 oz. can pumpkin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla

Filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix pumpkin and sugars. Beat in eggs, oil, vanilla, spices, soda, salt and flour. Mix well. Fill paper-lined muffin pans 3/4 full. Beat all filling ingredients until smooth. Top each muffin with 1 teaspoon filling, swirl filling into batter a little with toothpick. Bake 15-18 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Store in refrigerator when cooled.