Carrot and Red Pepper Soup

Fall is here! We had our very first cold snap of the season (complete with a mini snowstorm) and that prompted this delicious meal. The roasted peppers add a lot of flavor and this has tons of ingredients that I usually have around the house. Not only is this very healthy, but if you use soymilk instead of milk it can be completely vegan. Bring on the cold!

Serves 4-6

1 onion, chopped
10 carrots, sliced thin
2 cups vegetable stock
2 red bell peppers
2 cups milk
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
pepper

Place onion and carrots into a pot with water or stock and simmer, covered, over medium heat until the carrots can be easily pierced with a fork. (about 20 minutes)

Roast bell peppers by placing them over an open gas flame or directly under the broiler until the skin is completely blackened. Place in a bowl, cover, and let stand for about 15 minutes. Once the peppers cool, slip the charred skin off with your fingers, then cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds.
Blend the carrot mixture along with the bell peppers in a blender in small batches. (Be very careful blending hot liquids!) Add some milk to aid the blending. Return soup to the pot and add in lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Heat until steamy and serve warm with fresh bread. Enjoy!