Roasted Carrot Soup

Teamed with a healthy sandwich or salad, this colorful soup can be a light dinner on a stormy winter night—and the kids won’t
notice the veggies under the sweetened topping! Roasting the carrots brings out their natural sugars and enhances the flavor of
this root vegetable. If the dollop of crème fraîche topping is too indulgent for your tastes, use low-fat sour cream instead.

1¹/2 pounds (lb) of carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise

1 lb parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthwise

1 large onion, sliced

3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

6 tablespoons (tbs) unsalted butter

3 tbs (packed) dark brown sugar

8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt to taste

¹/4 cup crème fraîche for garnish

snipped fresh chives for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine carrots, parsnips, onion and ginger in shallow roasting pan. Dot mixture with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Pour 2 cups of broth into pan and cover well with aluminum foil. Bake for 2 hours, until veggies are tender.

Transfer mixture to large soup pot, and add remaining broth. Season with salt to taste and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Simmer partially covered for additional 10 minutes.

Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth (add more broth if needed). Return soup to pot and heat through. Top with dollop of crème fraîche and sprinkle with chives. Makes 10 servings.

Per Serving: 140 calories; 7 grams (g) fat; 2 g protein; 19 g carbs; 20 milligrams cholesterol.