After a Predominantly Paleo friend suggested a soup made with ham, I realized that I really had not explored cooking with ham that much. I mean bacon, sure thing, but ham? Not really.

Well this reader was craving a ham soup that would wash away the chilly days that seem to linger on and on and on and…well you get it.  This winter has been out of control!

And naturally, I will never turn down an invitation to create a new soup, I mean, who would do such a thing?! It’s soup! Ham and sweet potato soup to be specific.  So if you love soup as much as I do, you gotta give this a go.

Ingredients:

• 1 organic (if possible) ham steak, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 medium sweet potato, diced
• 1 carton (4 cups) organic beef broth (homemade if aip to avoid spice)
• 1 teaspoon (or more to taste) sea salt (i use a sea salt seasoning blend – use plain sea salt for aip)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional: 1/2 cup flax milk (or other nondairy milk) (omit flax milk for aip)
• Optional: 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder for thickening

1. Toss all ingredients into a crockpot and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 4-6 hours
2. If you want to thicken it, take arrowroot and add a small amount of water or soup to it to make a slurry before adding it into the crockpot 10 minutes before serving
3. If you would like to make it creamier, add the flax milk to the crockpot 10 minutes before serving
4. Yes, it’s really that simple!