Roasted Carrot, Ginger & Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

2 lbs carrots – chopped into 1 inch piece (not peeled)

1 head of garlic

1 1/2 white onions – halved

2 sweet potatoes

3″ fresh ginger, grated

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

1 1/2 quart vegetable broth (if you want a thinner soup you can add additional broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

On a baking sheet put the chopped carrots, onions, sprinkle with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper; and the sweet potatoes that have been slit with a knife. Cut the top off the head of garlic, place on piece of aluminum foil with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper – wrap up bulb and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes. Remove the carrots, onions and garlic and continue to cook the sweet potatoes for another 15 minutes.

While the sweet potatoes continue cooking put the roasted carrots, onions and garlic into a blender with 1/2 quart of vegetable broth to puree. Add the puree to a dutch oven, smash the cooked sweet potatoes and add to pot along with the remaining quart of vegetable stock, grated ginger, basil, & paprika. Stir well to combine and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

This is a easy and very flavorful dish.

Ginger Miso Chicken with Sugar Snap Peas and Bok Choy

Marinade Ingredients

2 cups hot water
1/2 cup miso paste
4 inches fresh ginger grated
1/4 cup Tamari
4 cloves of garlic – grated
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon

Let all the ingredients steep together for at least a 1/2 hour to cool to room temperature.

Chicken and Vegetable Ingredients

6 chicken thighs (or you can use breast meat if you prefer) – cut into small strips
1 bag of sugar snap peas
3 bok choy
10 scallions – green and whites finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Salt and pepper the chicken pieces, place into a Ziploc bag with 1/2 of the cooled marinade. (Set the remaining marinade aside to cook with later) Let sit at room temperature for about 1/2 hour.
Cut the sugar snap peas in 1/2 and cut the bok choy into ribbon slices.
Serve over Flavorful Brown Rice

To Cook

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the chicken to the pan in batches to brown – that takes about 2 to 3 minutes each side. Do this in batches so the chicken does not steam. (Note: discard the marinade that the chicken has been sitting in!). Add the cooked chicken back in the pan and continue to cook for about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the snap peas to the skillet and cook with the chicken on med/high for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the bok choy and remaining marinade and cook on high for 5 to 7 minutes.
Serve over Flavorful Brown Rice