Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup

We finally had one of those fall days that just chills you to the bone. I was at Brooklyn Bridge Park with Leo’s class, studying the structure of the bridge. I knew that as soon as I got my frozen limbs home, I was going to make this soup. It’s an incredibly hearty soup, and it can be made vegan, or you can add in some chicken sausages for the meat lovers in your crew. Either way, it’s delicious and very effective at warming you up!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 parsnips or carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 large potato, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 1 large bunch lacinato kale, tough stems removed and chopped
• 2 (32-ounce) cartons low sodium vegetable or chicken broth 
• 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
2. Place the sweet potato, parsnips or carrots, and potato on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with half of the  salt and pepper. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until vegetables are fork-tender. 
3. Meanwhile, add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a large stock pot. Heat over medium-high heat for a minute, and then add the onion. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the bay leaf and thyme, and cook until onions are lightly golden, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove from heat. 
4. When the vegetables are done roasting, add them to the pot, along with the chopped kale and broth. Increase heat to medium, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
5. Add the black-eyed peas to the pot and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, Add the remaining salt and pepper and stir. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Serve in large bowls with crusty whole grain bread or crackers.