Carrot and Roasted Bell Pepper Soup

Good evening, my dedicated readers!

Tonight, I made carrot and roasted (orange) bell pepper soup.  I made this before, and I really liked it.  I made it again tonight with a few changes.  This recipe is from Color Me Vegan by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.  I really like this author!!!

This recipe is from the "Color Me Orange" chapter.  The book is broken into "color" chapters with dishes featuring one or more ingredients of that color.  It's a really good read, and you get numerous yummy recipes out of it!!!  I highly recommend this book:  http://www.amazon.com/Color-Vegan-Antioxidant-Rich-Fiber-Packed-Color-Intense/dp/1592334393/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299544207&sr=8-1.

On to the recipe!  The recipe calls for sauteing some carrots, yellow onions, yellow potatoes, garlic, salt and dry sherry or dry white wine.  I used wine, and I added freshly ground black pepper as well.  Now, you may be thinking: WAIT A MINUTE!  I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T LIKE ONIONS!  Well, this soup is pureed at the end, and I strain it to get a smooth consistency; thus, the onion bits are gone!  I like the flavor; I just don't like the texture.

Anyways, after those have softened, you add the roasted orange bell peppers (that have been seeded and skin removed), some thyme (I used dry thyme), and some vegetable stock (I used broth).  At this point, I also added some cayenne pepper.  You gotta have some heat!!!  Then you simmer the soup for about 25 minutes until everything is tender.

After it has simmered, you add a cup of nondairy milk (I used rice milk) and some miso (I used brown looking miso - aged and fermented soy & brown rice), and then you puree it in a blender or using an immersion blender.  Then you add some more nondairy milk after you return the soup to the pot you cooked it in (if you used a blender).

You then taste it for seasonings and adjust if necessary.  Again, if vegan isn't your thing, then the ONLY ingredient you would have to change is the milk.  I would recommend half-and-half, heavy cream or whole milk.  Skim is disgusting, and not recommended for this.  The lowest I would go is 2%.

If vegetable stock/broth isn't your thing, then chicken stock would be a good substitute.  Beef stock would not be ideal for this soup.  Let me know what you think!