Ginger Carrot Soup with Pine Nuts

Serves 4

Prep time 15 min
Cook time 2 1/4 hrs

6 medium carrots, chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 medium onions, roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, cut in 3rds

3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup skim milk

1 cup water

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp curry powder (optional)

2 stalks of green onion, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

In a large fry pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and cook for 3 min, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat down slightly, cover the pan with lid and sweat the onions.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the carrots, garlic, celery, ginger, bay leaf, and water. Add the nutmeg, cloves, pepper, and curry powder, and stir. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low level and simmer for 1 1/2 hrs, until the carrots are soft. Check occasionally and add some water if it gets low.  

Add the milk and simmer for 30 min. Add the chicken stock and bring to boil. Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf and celery. While the soup is cooling, toast the pine nuts in a toaster oven until lightly brown. Pour the soup content, along with the pine nuts into a blender (I use the Vitamix series 300) and puree on high speed until the soup is smooth. 

Serve the soup in a bowl with green onion sprinkled on top and some salt.