Roasted Parsnip Soup

Friday night, my friends Stacey and Jon came over for dinner before we headed out to a David Wilcox concert. I met Stacey ten years ago at Holden Village, a remote retreat community where I lived for 6 months. Holden is a place of spirit and relationships and mealtimes were a highlight of each day because of the wonderful food and conversation that happened around the table.

Lunch at Holden was usually homeade soup, warm bread fresh from the oven and green salad. So when Stacey and Jon agreed to stop by for dinner before the show, I knew that a simple Holden meal was just the thing…And BOY, was it! I think the company amplified the lovely meal, but the parsnip soup worked far better than I had initially thought. Roasting the parsnips before making the soup brought out some of the sweetness in this earthy root, and the leeks added a lovely mellow savoriness, while the potatoes added some body to the soup. The addition of the sherry added just a hint of brightness to boost the flavors just a touch.

If you’ve got parsnips lingering in your crisper, give this one a try, and share it with some dear friends for a perfect evening.

Roasted Parsnip Soup
Serves 6

5 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup half & half
3 oz goat cheese
1 T olive oil
1 T bacon grease (or olive oil)
4 cups parsnips, peeled and cubed
3 leeks, sliced
3/4 cup dry sherry
2 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper to taste

Garnishes: parsley & crumbled bacon

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil a sheet pan, and pour the cubed parsnips onto the pan, and toss with 1 T olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes, then stir the parsnips and roast for 20 more minutes before removing from the oven.
2. While the parsnips are roasting, make the rest of the soup. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add 1 T of bacon fat or olive oil. Add the sliced leeks, and saute for a few minutes, until they begin to soften. Add in the potatoes, rosemary, thyme and garlic, and stir for a minute, until you can smell the garlic and herbs.
3. Add the chicken stock, sherry and the parsnips when they are done roasting. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the potatoes are tender, grab your immersion blender and puree the soup until smooth. Add the half & half and goat cheese, then taste, and add salt & pepper to taste. If you think the soup needs another shot of sherry to brighten the soup, go for it.
4. Garnish each bowl with some minced parsley and a bit of crumbled bacon.

350 cal/bowl, 100 cal from fat, 11.4g fat, 25mg cholesterol, 370mg sodium, 890mg potassium, 40g carbs, 6g fiber, 10g sugars

Root Vegetable Hash

I came home this evening, thinking that dinner was to be a simple omelet, but in the middle of my workout on the elliptical, I had a better idea – root vegetable hash. I had some leftover boiled new potatoes from the channa masala I made on Saturday night, and plenty of carrots and parsnips lingering in the crisper. Add to that a little garlic, onion and bacon, and you have a very simple, delicious hash. Top it with two perfectly over-easy eggs – heaven.

Root Vegetable Hash

Serves 2
(11.5 Weight Watchers Points)

2 cups leftover boiled new potatoes, cubed
1 cup grated raw parsnips (2 medium parsnips)
1 cup grated raw carrot (1 large carrot)
1 cup sliced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme & rosemary, minced
3 slices bacon chopped
1 Tb butter
salt & pepper to taste
4 eggs

1. Saute bacon in large non-stick pan over medium heat. When semi-crisp, drain bacon on paper towel and set aside. Leave 1Tb bacon grease in pan and add 1Tb butter and melt butter.
2. With the pan still on medium heat, add potatoes, onion, grated carrot and parsnips to pan. Stir to coat with butter/grease mixture. Let cook for 5 minutes, stir. Add reserved bacon, garlic and minced herbs, stir, cook for another 5 minutes and stir again. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Let cook until vegetables begin to caramelize, then turn off burner, leaving the pan on the burner to keep warm while you cook the eggs.
3. Heat 2 small non-stick pans, and spray with cooking oil. Crack 2 eggs in each pan, cook them however you like, and serve over the finished hash.