Fennel and Parsnip Soup

I love making soup in the winter and wanted to find a new way to use parsnips, one of my favorite underrated vegetables! The flavors of the roasted fennel and parsnip meld together wonderfully in this creamy, slightly sweet soup.

| Yield: serves 4 | Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 large bulb fennel, chopped, plus fronds reserved

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. fresh or dried thyme

2 1/2 cups vegetable stock

3/4 cup almond milk

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Place parsnips and fennel in a bowl and lightly drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat. Cover a baking sheet with baking paper and arrange the vegetables on it. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.

While veggies are roasting, add 1 tbs oil in pan on medium heat and saute garlic and shallots until softened.

Add roasted veggies, garlic, shallot, stock, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper to a large blender. (May need to be done in batches.) Blend until completely smooth. Alternatively, add all ingredients to large pot and use an immersion blender. Taste and adjust the flavors to your preference. Add more broth or water until desired consistency is reached.

Optional garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and thyme.