Healthful Carrot and Pine Nut Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth, preferably home made
• 4 large organic carrots, 3 cups, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and chunked 
• 1 ½ tablespoons garlic, peeled and chopped (try smoked garlic!)
• 4 medium organic heriloom multi colored carrots, 2 cups, peeled and sliced
• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon organic coconut oil , can use extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon smokey seasoning, such as smoked paprika
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1 pinch cane sugar

Instructions

1. Heat the chicken broth in a large, heavy pot. Bring to a boil, add next three ingredients - carrots, sweet potato and garlic. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes until softened.
2. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the pine nuts in a small baking dish, add the coconut oil, smokey seasoning and a pinch of sea salt and sugar. After 5 minutes, stir the nuts to coat and continue baking until just a hint golden - not too long - they can burn quickly!
3. Steam the remaining colored carrots until crisp tender. (The purple carrots tend to bleed if cooked in the soup base.)
4. Remove 1 1/2 tablespoons of the pine nuts and set aside. Add the remaining to the warm soup. Let stand 5 minutes. Puree all in a blender, from low to the highest speed for one minute until very smooth. Add back to the pot with the steamed carrots and stir well.
5. To serve: Ladle the soup in to bowls, top with a portion of pine nuts and garnish with fresh herbs, such as dill sprigs.

This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.