Mollyanne asked for the soup recipe, and I'm happy to share. It's from the Smitten Kitchen Every Day cookbook. She has couscous added at the end, but I skipped that.
Spiced Carrot and Pepper Soup - 4-6 servings
2 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped or sliced (I used 1/2 an onion)
6 large red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound carrots, thinly sliced
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. sweet paprika
1/8 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. ground ginger (I used a scant 1/4 t.)
a few saffron threads (optional)
3. vegetable or chicken broth
1 t. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 T. harissa, plus more to taste
Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, and once it is very hot, add the garlic and onion. Cook until lightly browned, 5-10 minutes, then add the peppers. Cook until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes together. Add the cumin, paprika, and other spices, and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the broth and salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover, and simmer over gentle heat until the carrots and peppers are tender, 25-30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth. Add the harissa a dollop at a time, to taste.