Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup with Cayenne Sunflower Seeds

A hearty soup to go along with grilled toast and a salad for dinner this winter.  This soup is loaded with vitamin A and vitamin C which are both important for good immune health.  What more could you want in a meal during these cold months?! Buy delicious sweet potatoes and carrots at market and don’t forget the fresh baked bread from WWFM vendors!
Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
Soup
5-7 small-medium carrots
2 medium sweet potatoes
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 13.5 oz. can organic coconut milk
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups vegetable broth

Sunflower Seed Topping
½ cup plain sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
Ground cayenne pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice carrots to 1” thick. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Add carrots, sweet potatoes and garlic to a large bowl. Add olive oil and rosemary. Season salt and pepper to taste. Toss well until all is coated. Place in glass baking dish and roast in oven for 20 minutes.

2. In a skillet add coconut milk, ginger, paprika, lemon juice, and vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for five minutes then remove from heat.

3. While waiting for the sweet potatoes and carrots to finish roasting, grab a small sauce pan and begin sunflower seed topping.

4. Toss sunflower seeds with olive oil. Add seeds to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Stir often until seeds are a bit golden. Remove from heat.

5. When roasting is complete, add everything from the roasting tray to a blender. Then add the coconut milk mixture. Blend to desired consistency.

6. Pour into serving bowls, top with sunflower seeds and enjoy!