Roasted Carrot, Maple and Pistachio Soup

I have a funny relationship with soup.  I like so-thick-your-spoon-stands-up-in-the-bowl soups. Though I do love a great bowl of miso soup, I’m not a fan of slurping up thin broth from a bowl.  If I wanted to lap up watery liquid, I’d slip a collar around my neck and get down on all fours for my supper.  No, thank you.  Definitely not for me.  Come to think of it, though, my kids would probably enjoy eating food off the floor...

Anyway, back to the soup. 

I've been on a bit of a soup kick lately and I'm not sure why.  Maybe it has to do with the mountains of carrots in my fridge.  Maybe it's because soup is a great way to get kids to eat things they wouldn't normally eat.  Parsnips, turnips, lentils, nuts... throw it in a pot, blend it up and voila, they have absolutely no idea what they're eating (insert evil cackle here).  Either way, I'm sure glad I made this soup for supper last night.  If you're not into thick soups like I am, feel free to add more water at the end to thin it out a bit.  It's okay, I won't hold it against you.

Roasted Carrot, Maple and Pistachio Soup

Serves 6

2 lbs carrots, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces

2 onions, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces

6 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole

3 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup raw pistachios

½ cup raw almonds, roughly chopped

5 cups water

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

½ teaspoon sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 475°F.  Toss carrots, onions and garlic in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast until golden brown but not burnt, around 20-30 minutes.  Put the pistachios, almonds and roasted vegetables in a large pot.  Add the water.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender and the nuts have softened a bit.  Remove from the heat and puree with a hand-held blender until smooth.  Or allow to cool slightly, pour into a food processor or blender, process until smooth and return to the pot.  Stir in the maple syrup and sea salt.  Adjust seasoning and add a bit more water if the soup is a bit too thick for you.