Ginger Carrot Soup by Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck

Total: 50m | Prep: 15m | Serves: 6

Nutritional Information: 151 calories, 7g fat, 695mg sodium, 23g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 1g protein, 29mg calcium, 1g iron, 265mg potassium, 6g vitamin C

Spring is here! This low-fat soup tastes especially rich, thanks to slowly cooking and then pureeing fresh carrots. Chef Wolfgang Puck loves the spicy-sweet flavor fresh ginger adds. Also, the salt balances the sweet carrots and honey in this recipe, but you can cut back on salt and honey to limit added sodium and sugar.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil (or avocado oil)
½ pound orange carrots cut crosswise into ¼ inch thick slices
½ pound yellow carrots (or another color), cut crosswise into ¼ inch thick slices
½ tablespoon minced garlic
½ tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced scallion, white part only (reserve green parts for garnish)
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
4 tablespoons honey
7 cups homemade vegetable stock or good quality canned low-sodium vegetable broth (plus more as needed)
Juice of 1/3 lemon
Optional: Top with green parts of scallions or pea tendrils

Preparation:
1. In a pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add sliced carrots and sauté until they start to caramelize, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger and scallion whites. Keep mixing until they are glossy and fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt, white pepper, turmeric, honey, and sauté for 2 more minutes.
2. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and cook until the carrots are tender, about 40 minutes.
3. Ladle small batches of soup into a food processor or blender to puree the ingredients or use an immersion blender. For a thinner soup with less fiber: strain it through a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl, pressing out solids. For a thicker soup with more fiber, skip this step.
4. Return the soup to the pot and stir in lemon juice. Stir in additional stock if the soup seems too thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.