Curried Carrot Apple Soup

When I got my wisdom teeth out I was so excited to eat all the mashed potatoes and ice cream I could stand.  I had it all planned out.  Five different flavors of potatoes, plenty of vanilla ice cream to make milkshakes, peanut butter banana smoothies, and sundaes.  It was going to be glorious.  A reason to eat some of my favorite food without feeling guilty about my indulgence.

Well, that got old after the first day.  

That's why I turned to some more creative endeavors while my face swelled up larger than I thought possible.

You always think that you will be different than everyone else, that your face won't swell and you won't be in pain.  That you'll get all the sympathy without any real problems.  Yeah, that almost never happens.  It was a rough week filled with lots of naps, pain killers, and names that ranged from chipmunk to cheeks.  

This soup was the bright spot in it all, both in its color and flavor.  What was also great, was that it allowed me to still work in my vegetables while I could barely open my mouth.  Potatoes and ice cream are great, but they don't pack the most nutritious punch if you know what I mean.

Curried Carrot and Apple Soup

Servings: 4 bowls - 3/4c per serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
• 3 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 large McIntosh apple or two small, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 14oz can of reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Pinch of salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat oil soup pot over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook until the onion is softened and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Stir in curry powder, then add carrots, apples and bay leaf. Stir well over medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add broth and salt. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer until the carrots and apples are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the soup solids to a food processor, adding about 1/2 cup of the broth.  Process to a smooth puree. Pour the puree back into the soup. Reheat and season with pepper. 

Recipe used - http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/curried_carrot_apple_soup.html