Apple-Parsnip Bisque

I know...MORE SOUP!

Just stick with me here people. It's cold and I've been busy therefore, soup it is!

When many people think of a bisque they immediately calculate how many spin classes it will take to work off the bowl of richness that will undoubtedly end up on their thighs.

Not this bisque.

At first glance you may think this soup looks "creamy."

Good eye, because it is and mainly in part to the roasted vegetables. You see, when you roast vegetables their flavors concentrate which lends a richness without the addition of cream.

The sweetness of the apples combined with the natural spiciness of the parsnips and the earthiness of the sage and thyme allows this soup to stand on it's own.

I paired it with my gluten-free vegan jalapeno corn bread topped with a drizzle of honey.

Apple Parsnip Bisque

2 pounds sweet apples (such as Fuji) peeled, cored, and quartered
1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into one-inch dice
1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch dice
1 large yellow onion, cut into 6 pieces, layers pulled apart
3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
10 large sage leaves
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (stripped from stems)
8 cups plain rice milk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, toss together apples, parsnips, sweet potatoes, onion, oil, salt and pepper. Arrange evenly in an 11 x 17-inch pan with an edge. Place in lower third of oven and roast for about 45 minutes, stirring veggies and rotation pan every 15 minutes. When everything is fork-tender and nicely browned, remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

2. Working in batches, puree apple-vegetable mixture, sage and thyme in a blender or food processor, adding enough rice milk to allow soup to move freely. Process each batch for 2-3 minutes to ensure a smooth texture,

3. Pour soup into a medium saucepan. Stir in any remaining rice milk. Simmer gently for 15 minutes to infuse flavors.