Roasted Carrot Soup for the Soul

Cooler Fall weather makes us want to curl up under a blanket with a warm bowl of soup.  This roasted carrot, apple and fennel soup will warm you up make you embrace the changing of the seasons with its bright orange color and flavors of Fall.

For more easy recipes like this, check out my blog at MyMansBelly.com.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Carrots (cleaned and cut into 1" pieces)
• 2 Medium Apples (peeled, cored and cut into 16 wedges)
• 1 Small - Medium Fennel Bulb (white part only, cut into wedges)
• Olive Oil
• 1 Clove Garlic (finely minced)
• 1 Tablespoon Ginger (grated)
• Kosher Salt
• 3 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock*

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.

Place carrots, apples and fennel onto baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Make sure to coat pieces evenly with oil.  Bake in oven for 45-60 minutes.  Carrots should still be somewhat firm, but apple and fennel will be soft.

Remove carrots, apple and fennel from oven and put into large saucepan (include the oil from the pan as well).  Add garlic, ginger and large pinch of kosher salt to saucepan.  Pour chicken stock over vegetables.  Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

Transfer contents of saucepan to blender, in batches, and puree until smooth.  (Be very careful blending hot liquids.)  Add more chicken stock to thin out soup to desired consistency.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese, walnuts, croutons or any combination of these.

* Vegetable stock may be used in place of chicken stock.  For a thicker soup, use less stock...for a thinner soup, use more stock.