Roasted Root Vegetable Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 2-inch chunks
• 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 medium celery root, peeled and cut into chunks
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for liberal drizzling
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg 
• 1 bulb garlic
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• Dash honey
• Dash hot sauce

Cheese Sandwich:

• 4 slices thick-cut good-quality white bread
• 4 slices deli-cut on thicker-side sharp yellow Cheddar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a roasting pan, coat the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and celery root in just enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat, then season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Roast the vegetables until tender and caramelized at edges, about 40 to 45 minutes.
3. Puree the vegetables in batches with the stock and transfer to a soup pot. Season the soup with honey and hot sauce, to taste.
4. For the cheese sandwiches: Preheat the oven. Arrange a cooling rack over a baking sheet and assemble 2 cheese sandwiches using 2 bread slices and 2 slices cheese per sandwich. Cube each sandwich into 9 mini-sandwiches and separate in a baking sheet providing space between each mini-sandwich. Coat the sides and tops of each sandwich with cooking spray. Bake in the hot oven until golden and cheese melts. Float a few sandwich-croutons in each bowl of the soup bowls.

Notes:  This really wasn't too difficult to make and it's DELISH and healthy (not counting the grilled cheese bites!)

Contributed by: Heather Vataha

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