Lemon Thyme Carrot Soup Recipe

Carrot Soup Ingredients:

4 cups carrots, chopped into ½ inch thick slices
2 tablespoon lemon thyme
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 leeks, rinsed and sliced
5 cups chicken broth, reduced sodium
1 teaspoon savory
1 bay leaf
1 whole lemon, sliced thinly
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Thyme sprigs or lemon thyme, for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. Combine sliced carrots, chopped leeks and bay leaf along with low sodium chicken broth in a large sauce pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and bring the contents to boil. After a boil reduce heat and cover the pan. Let the contents simmer on low heat for approximately 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Uncover the pan, add dried or snipped thyme, savory and lemon juice, stir well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Cover the pan and simmer for more 5 to 6 minutes or till the carrots are tender. After done, take off the pan from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Remove the bay leaf and discard it.
4. Pour the carrot and broth mixture in a blender or a food processor and blend or process until smooth. If the blender or food processor is small then puree 1/3 carrot mixture at a time. Return the smooth puree in the same sauce pan and heat it over medium heat until heated through.
5. Serve the soup hot in soup bowls garnished with lemon slices. If desired place a thyme sprig or lemon thyme over the soup before serving. This recipe makes 8 servings.

Health Tip:

• Lemon thyme carrot soup is a diabetes friendly recipe that provides only about 43 calories, 9 gm carbohydrates and 2 gm protein per serving.
• Although this recipe is diabetes friendly, carrots are categorized in high glycemic index foods. So if you are on a low glycemic index diet and your blood sugar levels are very much uncontrolled then include this recipe in your diet only after consulting your specialist or a registered dietician.
• This recipe can also be considered heart friendly as it offers insignificant quantity of cholesterol and total fat. However this recipe provides 435 mg sodium per serving, so if you are on a low sodium diet then balance your intake of other sodium rich foods accordingly.
• To make this recipe vegetarian use low sodium vegetable broth instead of low sodium chicken broth. This change will also help to decrease the total calories and sodium content of this recipe.