Chances are you've probably got some produce that needs your attention, and we've got a delicious solution for you with this hearty soup! Enlist the help of your younger chefs to peel the carrots and collect veggie discards to make your own stock. Isn't there a scout badge for that?
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds organic carrots, cleaned and sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 cups vegetable stock (*recipe below!)
- 1 tablespoon dried ground ginger, or 3 tablespoons freshly peeled and grated ginger
- 2 small lemons, juiced and zested
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup coconut cream, optional
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sauté until soft. Then add the carrots, ginger, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, and then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue cooking until the carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove the stock pot from the heat and carefully transfer the soup to a blender, remembering to not fill the blender more than halfway full. You can do the soup in batches if needed.
- Return the blended soup to the stock pot and season with lemon juice, zest and salt. Stir in the coconut cream, if desired.
- Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, carrot top gremolata, and spicy chickpea croutons.
Vegetable Stock
- Simply reserve vegetable trimmings such as onion skins, carrot peelings, zucchini tops, the leaves and ends of celery, parsley stems. Add peppercorns and bay leaves for a flavor boost!
- Place your trimmings in a large stock pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. When it has come to a boil, turn off the heat, and let it steep like tea for about 20 minutes. You can freeze any excess stock and defrost it the next time you plan to make soup, risotto, or polenta.
Carrot Top Gremolata
- 2 bunches carrot tops, cleaned, destemmed and finely chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, optional
Spicy Chickpea Croutons
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
- Soak the dry chickpeas overnight. Before baking, strain and rinse the chickpeas. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and toss the chickpeas with olive oil, chili powder, cayenne, and salt.
- Place the chickpeas on a baking sheet with a silicone mat, and bake for 30 minutes, carefully stirring the chickpeas after about 15 minutes to ensure even cooking. Bake until crunchy and golden brown.
- Enjoys these as a soup garnish, on salads, or as a healthy snack! Experiment with different spices like smoked paprika, ground chipotle, or wasabi powder!