You may be thinking to yourself, apples in soup? We can tell you with authority – they taste great in this savory soup. We love sharing fruits and veggies in different ways, and this recipe is no exception! Creamy with just the tiniest bit of warm spiciness from the Garam Masala, this soup is a great way to score more fruits and veggies servings for your day – and not miss meat at all!

This soup is also a great way to add lively flavor to dinner. Not only do the fennel and apple bring fresh flavors to this soup, so does the garnish of dill and mint! Bright green herbs like dill and mint add a pop to warm and creamy soup. Mint, a relative of basil is not often used this time of year – but when you add it to your winter time fare you can immediately perk up your palate. And dill does too!

Mint is an herb that activates the salivary glands in our mouth as well as glands which secrete digestive enzymes, thereby facilitating digestion. It also is very helpful with any nausea and fatigue. A popular way to see if mint will help you is putting a few drops of mint essential oil on your pillow at night and let the smell work into your body and mind while you sleep.

Soup in the POT!

Apple and Carrot Soup

• 1 TB Extra-virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Chopped Yellow Onion
• ½ Cup Chopped Fennel
• 1 TB plus 1 Tsp Garam Masala, divided
• 1 Tsp Turmeric
• ¼ Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 3 Cups Chopped Carrots
• 3 Cups Chopped Apples
• 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
• ¼ Tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Red Apple Minced
• 1 TB of Unsalted Butter
• 1 TB Lemon Juice
• 1 TB Chopped Mint
• 2 TB Chopped Dill

Step One Heat the oil in a large stockpot. Stir in the onion, fennel, 1 TB garam masala, turmeric and black pepper. Cook until the onion is soft – about 10 minutes.Add the carrots and apples. Stir well to combine the ingredients,, and then add the broth and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer until the carrots and apples are tender, about 20 minutes.

Step Two While the soup ios simmering, sauté the minced red apple and 1 tsp of the garam masala in the butter for about 2 minutes or until coated with the butter.

Step Three Allow the mixture to cool slightly. Add in the Lemon Juice. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until desired smoothness. Serve hot, room temperature or cold, garnishing with the dill and mint.