There's really nothing more comforting in winter than a bowl of soup. I've never made soup, but I love vegetable purées and I was feeling inspired.

I had never done this before, so I did everything intuitively and used whatever vegetables looked good when I was shopping.

Ingredients (but certainly feel free to experiment)
- vegetable broth (look for organic and low-sodium, available at health food stores)
- yams/sweet potatoes
- zucchini
- broccoli
- red onion
- kale
- tomato
- garlic
- ginger
- sesame tahini
- sea salt

1. In a pan, sautée the garlic and/or ginger with the onions in olive oil.
2. Chop and steam the yams, broccoli, zucchini, and kale.
3. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil (with chopped tomato).
4. Once vegetables are steamed (about 15 minutes) and garlic/ginger/onions are slightly browned, add all to the broth, add salt, and simmer.
5. Combine in blender, add a modest amount of sesame tahini, and blend to desired texture.

I topped mine with a bit of cayenne pepper which was a very nice touch.

I love purées much more than regular vegetable soups; they're hearty and filling. You can really use any combination of vegetables, but certain things are important to keep in mind:

1. You want some type of potato to keep the texture creamy and thick. I don't recommend white or red potatoes since they have a poor effect on blood sugar; opt for a sweet potato or yam instead (they taste better, too!).
2. It's important to have spices or herbs (garlic, ginger, basil, rosemary, etc) to keep the soup from being too bland. Also make sure to include more vegetables (onions, leeks, etc).
3. If you don't have vegetable broth, you can use pure water; you may just want to simmer your vegetables for longer to enhance flavor.
4. You don't need any cream to make this soup creamy. It doesn't take much sesame tahini to add a rich, creamy flavor.
5. Dark, leafy greens are a nutritional powerhouse, so although it doesn't seem like a standard soup ingredient, add some kale, spinach, or chard to your purée.

Enjoy your food,
Emily