Recipes

Creamy Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Creamy Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Adapted From Cooking Light Magazine

 

This soup is easy to make and soooo satisfying, almost tastes like dessert.

Perfect for the holidays.  Make it ahead and freeze ,  just add the half and half and/or sour cream after you reheat.

 

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 cup chopped onion

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

4 ¾ cups cubed peeled sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds)

3 ½ cups water

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

3 cups chopped carrot (about 1 pound)

¼ cup half and half, (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

 ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup sour cream (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Directions:

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.

2.       Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg; cook 1 minute.

3.       Move onion mixture to side of pan; add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to open space in pan.

4.       Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute or until butter begins to brown.

5.       Add sweet potatoes, 3 ½ cups water, broth, and carrot, bring to boil.

6.       Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

7.       Blend with an immersion blender. A great tool for soup, consider purchasing one if you don’t have one.

8.       If you don’t have an immersion blender….place half of soup mixture in a blender.

9.       Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender.

10.   Place clean towel over opening in blender lid ( to avoid splatters)

11.   Blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl.

12.   Repeat procedure with remain in soup mixture.

13.   Stir in half and half, salt and pepper.

14.   Ladle about I cup soup into bowl. Top with 2 teaspoons sour cream, if desired and parsley.

 

Yield 8 servings.

Calories: 173; Fat: 6.7g; cholesterol: 18mg; calcium: 77mg; carbohydrate 25.7g; sodium: 415 mg; protein: 3.6g; fiber: 5g; iron: 1mg

Reese’s Cups

(Adapted from Chocolate Recipe From Elanaspantry.com)

1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup cacao powder (Dagoba is a good organic brand)
Pure maple syrup to taste, (I use 4 tsp)

Melt cacao and coconut oil in pan, stir in maple syrup. It will melt fast, do not let it boil or burn, just melt completely, it will affect the taste. I use a mini whisk to mix it all and get it smooth.

reeses cups.jpg
  • Let cool and pour over fruit, dip fruit in chocolate and refrigerate.
  • Pour chocolate in mold and refrigerate for chocolate bars!
  • Add coconut, nuts, dried fruit, or whatever you like.
  • Reese cups – these are amazing! Use a mini muffin pan. You can use mini muffin paper liners, so they look just like Reese cups, but you don’t have to. Add 1 tsp melted chocolate into each mini muffin paper or space, freeze until solid. Take out and add peanut butter to each cup, about ½ tsp does it, top it with another teaspoon of melted chocolate and then freeze until soid, usually 10 – 15 minutes. Store in freezer or fridge. Keep these handy for sweet tooth attacks!
  • Slice bananas, make banana sandwiches with peanut butter, cover with chocolate and freeze.

Chocolates are best kept in the freezer or fridge; coconut oil will separate or melt in room or warm temperatures.