Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup; Brown Bag Series #10

By: The Food Hunter

There's been a chill in the air...oh who am I kidding.....it's been down right frigid in Phoenix the past week or so. And although I prefer the heat to this any day....it has been perfect soup weather.  So this past weekend that's what I focused on....soup.

I love creamy soups; and contrary to what you might think they don't have to be loaded with fat to make them thick and delicious.  Potatoes are a great thickening agent and sweet potatoes offer lots of health benefits (find out more here). Both the potatoes and carrots lend a sweetness to this soup; making it perfect for a cold winter lunch.



Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup





Ingredients

3tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 3/4 cups cubed peeled sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 1/2 cups water
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 cups chopped carrot (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Move onion mixture to side of pan; add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to open space in pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute or until butter begins to brown. Add sweet potatoes, 3 1/2 cups water, broth, and carrot; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2. Place half of soup mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup mixture. Stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Ladle about 1 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with about 2 teaspoons sour cream and 3/4 teaspoon parsley.


1 comment:

  1. it looks delicious and I love the color

    ReplyDelete