Creamy Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

It's about time we made some soup again! After a recent delicious meal at Our Daily Bread in Boone the other weekend, we were motivated to make some of our own yummy soup. Have you ever had sweet potato soup? Sure was a new one to us. But let me tell you what, it is delicious! The original recipe called for parsley and sour cream as the toppings, which was good but not the best. For our second bowl, we sprinkled in goat cheese and toasted pine nuts. Perfecto! Hope you enjoy! Just be careful when you are doing the blender step - we made quite the mess. Our next goal: Gouda Sage Potato soup (Our Daily Bread ran out right before we were served and we've been craving it ever since). Modified from Cooking Light - serves 8.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter (or Smart Balance type spread), divided
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 3/4 cups cubed peeled sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (if you're a veggie, sub in vegetable broth)
• 3 cups chopped carrot (about 1 pound)
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream OR 1/3 crumbled goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley OR 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

Directions

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter (or spread) in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. 
2. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Move onion mixture to side of pan; add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to open space in pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 1 minute or until butter begins to brown. 
3. Add sweet potatoes, 3 1/2 cups water, broth, and carrot; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. Place half of soup mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining soup mixture. Combine both in original Dutch oven to mix in remaining ingredients.
5. Stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper. Ladle about 1 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with about 2 teaspoons sour cream (or goat cheese) and 3/4 teaspoon parsley (or pine nuts).