Simple Potato Leek Soup for a chilly St. Patrick's

It's still really, really cold here in Chicago with record breaking lows again last night. I hope the river thaws out enough to dye it green on St. Patrick's Day in a couple weeks. There is hope for spring, however, and we might even hit 40 degrees this weekend. On the bright side, this means it is still soup weather for a few more weeks and how better to celebrate an Irish holiday than with potato leek soup? This soup is very easy and quick to make with only three steps in the instructions. Naturally vegan, I added silken tofu for creaminess, protein and nutrients. A Vitamix blender works really well for pureeing the soup, but you can use a regular blender as well, or an immersion blender for less mess. Let me know what you think if you make it. Happy St. Patrick's and Happy National Nutrition Month! 

Simple Potato Leek Soup                                                       

Yields 10-12 cups of soup


Ingredients
3 cups yellow potatoes, peeled and sliced into circles
2 large leeks, white part only cleaned and sliced
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 block (16 oz) silken tofu
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Fresh chives, finely chopped












Instructions

1.      Simmer potatoes and leeks in vegetable broth and water, covered, for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

2.      Combine soup and tofu in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. 

3.      Stir in salt and pepper and serve hot with fresh chives as a garnish.

*Recipe by Ginger Hultin 3/1/15