Sweet Potato, Pear and Grain Soup

Sweet Potato, Pear and Grain Soup - Seriously Soupy

It's still a bit nippy over here with hints that warmer days are ahead of us. Still thinking about new ways to create soup during this season (and using what I have), I decided to make a soup with sweet potatoes as the base (had them lying around) and some grains (I believe, a barley?) to go with it. I also had some leeks lying around from the spring pea, leek and dill soup, along with an onion, some carrots and garlic for my own simple veggie broth.  It didn't feel complete (or taste that exciting), so I decided to sweeten it up a bit with some cranberries and two different types of pears to create a flavorful (and naturally sweetened) spring soup. I hope you enjoy this one, it certainly isn't a random hodge-podge of ingredients (even though it may seem so) and you can even sub pears for apples or add some protein (I was thinking this one would work well with tofu, but that of course if up to you!). Enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Pear and Grain Soup
Ingredients:
6 cups of water 
1 leek, cut up
1 yellow onion, cut up
1 tablespoon of pre-chopped garlic cloves
2 cups of grains (I choose barley)
1 whole sweet potato, cut up into small squares
2 tablespoons of dried cranberries
1 whole carrot, cut up
1 Red Barlett Pear, cut up with skin
1 Bosc Pear, cut up with skin
pinch of sea salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of celery salt

Directions:
Start by making the broth. Add water to a pot and let boil. Cut up the onion, leek, carrots, and garlic to be added to the pot. Let cook for about 30 minutes, adding salt to taste the broth. When soft, you can either drain the veggies for a thin broth or you can the veggies for a thicker verison (mine was thick). Add the grain and let cook for another 30-40 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, pear, and cranberries, tasting and altering amount of water needed. Cook for another 20 minutes, taste and enjoy!

Seriously Soupy Serena