Sweet Potato and Green Banana Soup

(recipe cut from a magazine, not sure which one)

2 large sweet potatoes (1 lb.)
2 green bananas (8 oz.)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg (I used dried)
6 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
dash hot pepper sauce

Peel and dice the potatoes and bananas.  Heat oil in a saucepan; saute chopped onion until transparent.  Add the potatoes and bananas; cook over low heat for five minutes.  Sprinkle nutmeg over the vegetables.  Add the stock and salt; bring to a boil.  Simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.  Puree in a blender or food processor.  Add pepper sauce and pepper.

(Quite a nice soup.  I added some berbere spice blend instead of hot pepper sauce; this gave an additional curry-like heat and savory depth that tempered the sweetness of the soup.  Also, I lessened the broth a bit, pouring in what would cover the veggies and adding a little extra.  Super easy and unique!)

Butternut Squash and Coconut Soup with Shrimp

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 tsp. oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp. red curry paste, more to taste
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, about 4 cups
2 cups vegetable broth
1 (14 oz.) can coconut milk
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted (optional)
lime wedges

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, and ginger.  Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Stir in curry paste, sugar, and salt and cook one minute longer.  Stir in squash, broth and coconut milk, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Stir in shrimp and simmer just until cooked through, about 2 minutes.  Stir in cilantro, sprinkle with coconut, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

(So delicious!  I added a berbere spice mix instead of the curry paste.  Also, used much more cilantro, added the juice of 1/2 a lime directly to the soup, and omitted the shredded coconut.  If I had it to do again, I'd probably chop the squash, onion, and shrimp into smaller, consistent pieces, like a chowder.  I also added chopped spinach to some reheated bowls, and it was lovely.)