Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375℉.
2. Toss the sweet potato cubes with the olive oil and ½ tsp of salt, then roast until tender and golden, tossing occasionally. This should take about 20 minutes. Once cooked, set aside in a bowl to cool and increase oven temperature to 425℉.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the spinach with 2 tbsp of water and microwave in 30 second increments until spinach is wilted. Allow to cool then squeeze spinach into a ball with your hands to remove any excess water. Discard the water then transfer the spinach to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together both types of flour, ¾ tsp of salt, the sugar, the baking powder and the garlic powder (if using). With a pastry cutter or by hand, cut in the cold butter until the mixture is unevenly crumbly, with some of the butter remaining in slightly larger pieces. Add the Cheddar and stir to combine.
5. Once the sweet potatoes are cool, add them to the flour mixture, along with the chopped spinach, and stir to combine. 
6. Add the buttermilk and stir everything together until just combined, being careful not to over-mix. I like to do this with my hands.
7. Remove the mixture from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. 
8. Using your hands, pat the mixture into a flat round disk, about 1” high. 
9. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough round into 8 triangular pieces. 
10. Transfer scones to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, being sure to leave a bit of room between them as they will expand in the oven.
11. Brush with a bit of additional buttermilk.
12. Once the oven has preheated, put the baking sheet on an oven rack placed either in the middle or top third of the oven and bake until the scones are golden and cooked through, 20-25 minutes.
13. While the scones are baking, warm up the soup in a saucepan on the stovetop. 
14. Divide the warm soup between 4 bowls and serve each bowl with a scone on the side. Enjoy!