CARROT GINGER SOUP

Remember when I went to Mexico for a long weekend? I got to catch up with some friends that had moved from Atlanta all the way to Erie, Pennsylvania. If I needed a break from the winter, you better believe they needed it way more. I got to talking recipes with Sarah and she sent along some of her recent favs when we returned home. This one sounded too good to wait on so we made it immediately. This is a super healthy and yummy soup that has such a nice tangy-ness from the yogurt and lemon juice. Serve it with some garlic, parmesan bread and you've got a meal.


Ingredients:

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon cumin
1 small onion, finely chopped
8-10 slices of fresh ginger (about the size of a quarter)
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped
5 cups water
salt to taste
1 cup plain yogurt, I used soy yogurt
1-2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Saute the bay leaves and cumin in the olive oil over medium high heat, stirring for about a minute. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes until soft. Add the ginger slices and cook for another minute.

2. Add the carrots and cilantro and cook for about 10 minutes. Add 5 cups of water and the salt and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pot and simmer until the carrots are soft.

3. Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup with a blender, in batches. Return the soup to the pot and boil until it has reduced by about one quarter. Whisk your yogurt until smooth and add to the pot. Bring the soup back to a boil.

4. Serve the soup with lemon juice and black pepper for garnish.

***Image via Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried**