Carrot Soup with Star Anise

I am still determined to find a vegetable soup that my friend Tanya will like. She is my Weight Watcher's buddy at work. According to the Weight Watchers Recipe Builder this is a 1 PointsPlus soup. If I had used canned fat free broth instead of my homemade stock it would have been 0 points. It tastes creamy without cream and only a little fat from the stock.

Star anise is a star shaped pod that con a small seed in each of its segments.It is native to China and gives a licorice flavor to savory dishes.

Carrot Soup with Star Anise
adapted from Bon Appetit December 2005

3/4 cup chopped onion
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 1/2 star anise seedpods
1 small bay leaf
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1 lb peeled baby carrots
2 cups chicken stock
Non-stick cooking spray

Cook the onion, thyme, star anise, bay leaf and garlic in a pot coated with cooking spray until the onion begins to soften. Add the stock and the carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes.
Remove the thyme stems, start anise pods and the bay leaf. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return o the pot and heat through before serving.