Carrot & Ginger Soup

2 lugs of olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 spring onions finely sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2kg (2.2 pounds) of carrots peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken stock (I use homemade chicken stock so sodium is at a minimum)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground ginger (or 1.5tbsp freshly grated ginger)
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp whole almonds

Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, a garnish of chives and a sprinkling of pepper. Goes nicely with a slice of lovely crusty bread.

In a medium saucepan over a low flame, heat your olive oil. Add to the pan the garlic, spring onion and yellow onion and toss with a wooden spoon until glassy.

Add the carrots, giving them a good stir to coat them in the olive oil, garlic and onions and cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle in the nutmeg, ginger and pepper - stir for another minute or until fragrant.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the carrot is tender. Remove from heat.

When the soup has cooled significantly, place into a blender with the almonds to puree (or use a stick blender). Do not attempt to blend the soup while it is hot unless you're a masochist and you really love getting horrific burns and boiling soup on your eyeballs. It isn't pleasant.

For people trying to watch their waistline, this is also a really healthy dinner when served without sour cream or bread.

Serving Size: Serves 8-10