Vegetable and Meatball Soup

A beautiful, nourishing vegetable and meatball soup that you can put together in no time :) I used purple sweet potato (kumara) specifically because it disintegrates and gives the soup a creamy texture without using dairy ingredients. The meatballs can be omitted for a vegetarian version.

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil
2 medium leeks, trimmed, halved, washed, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 stalks, trimmed, chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 purple sweet potato (kumara), peeled and cut into small cubes
6 meatballs
a handful of flat leaf parsley, thyme and chives, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 L chicken stock or water

Method:
Step 1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes or until leek has softened. Add celery. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Step 2. Add carrot and potato. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add stock or cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Step 3. Add sweet potato, parsley, thyme, chives and meatballs. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.