Carrot Ginger Soup

This gorgeous orange hued soup is a back pocket recipe I make every few weeks- it's comforting, vegan friendly if made with vegetable broth, and feels incredibly fortifying thanks to high levels of beta-carotene in carrots, which our bodies turn into Vitamin A. For simplicity, use the recipe below as is, but if you have a curry powder or paste on hand, this soup is great with 1 tablespoon of either, added when the onions are softening. I generally don't peel carrots for most dishes, but for this soup I do, as it helps the soup maintain a bright color and velvety texture. Carrot peels can be composted or frozen along with other vegetable scraps for future broth. Because this soup has just a few ingredients, I recommend using homemade chicken or vegetable broth for the best flavor. I like to blend this soup in my Vitamix blender for a silky texture, but an immersion blender or even a food processor will do the job.

Ingredients:

6 cups peeled carrots, cut into 1" pieces

4 tablespoons olive oil

3" piece grated fresh ginger, about the size of a thumb

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

4 cups homemade chicken or veggie stock

1 can full fat coconut milk (15 oz. can)

To garnish:

fresh cilantro

chili flakes

Method:

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, combine olive oil and onions over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are becoming translucent, and add a large pinch of salt to help them release moisture. When onions are softened, add grated ginger and turmeric, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring to prevent the ginger from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add chopped carrots and broth, a few large pinches of salt, and cover pot. Cook over medium/low heat for about 20 minutes, or until carrots are very tender when pierced with a fork. Add entire can of coconut milk and stir to disperse.

Using a blender (a high speed blender like a Vitamix will create the best texture) or food processor, blend soup until smooth, then pour back into the pot you cooked the soup in. Over medium heat, heat soup until hot. If you'd prefer the soup to be a little thinner, add a few tablespoons of water or broth. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and ground pepper as needed. Serve topped with fresh cilantro and chili flakes if desired. This soup freezes well.