Roasted Carrot and Red Pepper Soup...Healthy, Hearty, YUMMY

This recipe serves 4

• 4-6 carrots 
  2-4 red and/or yellow bell peppers (2 if large, 4 if small)
  2-3 stalks of celery, diced
• 1/4 cup olive oil (I used a garlic infused oil from Heavenly Olive Oils and Vinegars)
• Salt
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (good quality, not too high in sodium)
• 1 piece ginger root, an inch long, peeled
• 1/2 cup of fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage and/or rosemary, oregano, parsley
• 1/2 large sweet (yellow) onion, diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots and peppers with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Set an oven rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat source and turn on the broiler. Broil the carrots and peppers until they brown and soften, turning them over with a spatula every 5 minutes or so; Peppers don't take long at all so CHECK OFTEN.  Carrots should take 15 to 20 minutes.  (remove the peppers once they are done and put carrots back in the oven.)

   

   I started w/ my veggies on a pizza stone but realized the oil might drip off...and I was right.  Be sure and use a shallow pan that has sides to it.  

   

   Peppers are done!

   
   

   

   These carrots took about 20 minutes to look this way...I rotated them every 5 minutes or so.

   
   
2. Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil, add the ginger and the herbs and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

   

   Fresh Ginger Root (unpeeled)

   
   

   

   Use a sharp knife and "scrape" off the outer skin

   
   

   

   Stock w/ ginger and herbs...lovin' the smell already!

   
   
3. Put the onion and garlic in a medium stock pot with the remaining olive oil. Brown the onion and celery over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, and then add the carrots and peppers.

   

   onion, celery, garlic

   
   

   

   Tossed in roasted veggies

   
   
4. Remove the ginger and herbs from the stock and add the stock to the pot with the onions/celery and carrots/peppers. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to puree.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Use an immersion or a standard blender to puree the mixture until smooth. If the soup seems too thick, add more stock or water and reheat gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, garnish with chopped fresh thyme.

   

   Look at all those GORGEOUS bright colors!!!!

   
   

   

   Roasted Carrot and Pepper soup, you make me very very happy.