Jamaican "Spinach" Soup

Of course the thing that stood out to me was the "Jamaican" part. :) Although I live in Florida, I've never had any Jamaican food... so I decided to give it a shot! I would conciser this more a vegetable soup than a spinach soup. Either way, it's VERY tasty!

The unusual combination of flavors is what really sets this soup apart. I highly recommend using fresh ginger if possible. I add a little more of each spice than directed. :)

* vegan
* freezes well



below is the recipe as it is written at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jamaican-Spinach-Soup/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (I substitute light brown sugar)
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cups chopped zucchini
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 red bell pepper, minced

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Cook 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Season with salt, turmeric, allspice, and nutmeg. Mix in potatoes and zucchini, and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. Remove soup from heat, season with cayenne pepper, and stir in spinach. Using a hand blender, blend soup until smooth. Garnish with red bell pepper to serve.