Organic Ginger Carrot Soup

I like carrots, but not terribly.  This recipe totally surprised me because it tastes great and I like knowing that it's basically pretty healthy. 

Don't let the label "Organic" scare you off.  I've recently joined the organic wagon, but if I had to categorize myself, I would say I'm "mostly organic". I try to use the Environmental Working Group's 2014  Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce to buy the clean 15 and avoid the dirty dozen, but sometimes you just have to buy what you usually buy. Buying organic can certainly be more expensive and I understand that lots of folks are already on a tight budget, so you can just use what you have.  

I got this recipe out of the Cuisinart Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender's Instruction and Recipe Booklet, but I made some changes. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium shallots (I used one medium regular white onion)
• 1 Tbl finely chopped fresh ginger (I used powdered ginger to my own taste)
• 1 Tsp kosher salt, divided (I use unrefined Celtic Sea Salt).
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided.
• 2 lbs carrots, sliced 
• 1/2 Tsp ground cumin
• pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 Tsp ground cinnamon
• 5 Cups vegetable or chicken broth, reduced sodium
• 1/2 Tsp fresh lemon juice (I omitted this)
• 1/4 - 1/2 Cup heavy cream (my addition)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the shallots (onions), ginger, and a pinch each of the salt and pepper. 
2. Saute until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. 
3. Add the carrots and raise the heat to medium-high. 
4. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until carrots are heated through and just starting to get tender. 
5. Add the remaining salt, pepper, and spices.  Stir until carrots are fully coated.
6. Add the broth and bring to a boil. 
7. Reduce heat and let soup simmer, uncovered, for about 25-30 minutes (carrots should be completely tender). 
8. Stir in the heavy cream to your preference and blend well.  
9. Liquefy the soup using an emulsifier, hand mixer or blend in batches with a blender.
10. Taste and adjust your seasonings as desired.