Yam & Ham Soup

This hearty soup is a great chilly weather dish and surprisingly low calorie. There is nothing better than warm soup on a rainy day!

1 cup diced cooked ham
1 large leek or 1 1/2 cups (sliced)
2 tbsp water
2 small yams or 3 cups (peeled, & cubed)
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups water
2/3 cup (5oz) fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 tsp black pepper
Cooking spray
Thinly sliced green onions (garnish)

1. Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add ham; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove ham and set aside.
2. Add leek to pan; coat with cooking spray. Cook leek, covered, 5 minutes or until very tender, stirring occasionally. Add 2 tbsp water to pan, if needed, to prevent burning.
3. Add yam, chicken broth, water, evaporated milk, and pepper, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until sweet potato is very tender. Use stick blender to puree in pan or transfer soup to blender or food processor in batches. Return pureed mixture to pan. Stir in 3/4 cup reserved ham. Ladle soup into bowls; top servings with 1/4 cup reserved ham. Garnish with onions.

Serves 4
Serving size: 1 1/4 cups

I served this with a rustic whole wheat bread on the side with Smart Balance spread.