Ginger-Carrot Soup

Guy Fieri's recipe w/just a few little Tina tweaks. No offense meant to the dude who wears more jewelry and has twice as much hair dye on his scalp than me! It just needed a Tina touch.

Serves as many as 10 as a first course, but I would not count on this to fill manly men's belley as a main course option.  

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted coriander seed (see Tina's Tipsy - Roasted/Toasted)
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted ground ginger (see Tina's Tipsy - Roasted/Toasted)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 1/3 cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Combine the olive oil and onion in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 10 minutes, until just starting to caramelize. Add the garlic and ginger and toasted coriander cook, stirring, 2 more minutes, being careful not to burn the mixture. Stir in the carrots, potato, roasted ground ginger and the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the carrots and potato are very tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a small saute pan (you can use the same pan which you toasted the coriander) over high heat, lightly toast the pine nuts. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Puree the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth (or puree in a regular blender in batches). Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with a dollop of the yogurt mixture and some pine nuts.

I made this today for cooking club and left the "toppings" at home. Tried it just now w/toppings and they are a wonderful compliment! So, don't be like me and forget the toppings!