Carrot Soup Recipe

I love good soup when the weather becomes chilly, and root vegetables are especially tasty and suitable for nice and creamy creations.

There are many variations of this delicious carrot soup. What I've tried recently, though, was the best one to-date. It was a deliciously creamy (yet dairy-free and cholesterol-free--so very heart friendly!), and super, super tasty. Plus, totally vegan to boot. (Since I went vegan several years ago, I only consider my animals my friends--NOT FOOD!)

The secret?

Keep reading and you'll find out shortly....;-)

So here are the secrets to this soup ;-):

1. Adding freshly made carrot juice made a big difference - although an extra step (and cleanup), adds nice depth to this simple carrot soup recipe.

2. Cashew (or almond) cream (or non-dairy milk) adds more creaminess to the texture.

3. Adding ginger or orange peel adds another layer of interesting taste - try it out!

4. Warning: My 9-year old didn't appreciate the spicy kick from the ginger, so skip it and use less curry mix for a milder soup.

5. Adding some sweetener makes the soup more appealing for children.

6. Skipping all animal ingredients, makes this soup 100% vegan and makes you into a compassionate cook!

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 carrots, chopped

2 teaspoons of yellow curry powder or garam masala powder

4 cups water or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon of agave, maple syrup or brown sugar (optional)

2-3 carrots, juiced (about one cup)

1 tablespoon flour (use gluten free, such as spelt or rice for gluten free soup)

1 handful of raw cashews or almonds

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic with a bit of water for about 4-5 minutes. Add spices, carrots, and flour and saute for 2-3 more minutes, but don't let the carrots brown.

Add water and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until carrots are tender.

In a blender, blend cashews with one cup of water on high until very smooth. Add carrot juice and cashew cream to the soup and blend.

Blend the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Variations:

* Add 1 small sweet potato, and reduce the carrots to 2.

* Substitute cashews/almonds with or a cup non-dairy milk (for example, use almond or soy)

* Add a teaspoon of minced ginger for a spicy kick.

* Add 3 large strips of zest from an orange for an interesting variation.

* Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts.

This soup is very simple and inexpensive, and yet it's tasty and elegant enough to impress even the pickiest of guests (and hopefully, even picky eating children). Enjoy!