This past weekend we harvested all of the carrots from our garden. We were shocked to see how many there were! We only planted 1 row, but ended up with bowls and bowls of carrots. So in order to use them all while they’re fresh and most tasty, I quickly turned them into my favourite carrot soup. I quadrupled the recipe below and used my 2 largest pots, and still couldn’t get all of the carrots in! I froze most of the soup in both single serving and larger jars that contain 2-3 servings. I always try to make larger quantities of a freezable recipe, for those days when there are no leftovers for lunch, or when life gets crazy and there’s nothing for dinner!
One of the reasons I love soup so much is it’s the easiest way to get in my favourite food ever – bone broth! For full details check out my original post – but to sum it up: homemade broth is pretty much good for everything. Bone broth contains nutrients that helps heal leaky gut, nourishes your joints, keeps your skin/hair/nails strong & healthy, helps heal any damage to & maintains pliability of your arteries…the list goes on. In short – it’s amazing and every single client we have has bone broth on their prescription sheet.
Another reason I love soup is it’s very easy to digest, so if there is any gut irritation, damage or illness, soup is a great way to get nutrients in easily. And you can jam it with way more veggies than any other meal – and again, they’re very easy to digest. Clients I have with major digestive illnesses (celiac, crohn’s, colitis, post-cancer etc.) that are experiencing a flare or are in an acute inflammatory situation, always get the recommendation to avoid raw veggies (which can act like steal wool on a tender gut) and focus on stews and soups. That way you get the nutrients in (in addition to gut-healing bone broth) and don’t add to the irritation!
Ok enough with the science & health (my fav thing) – onto the food (my other fav thing!). I hope you enjoy this recipe for Ginger Carrot Soup!
Notes:
VEGETARIAN/VEGAN OPTION: you can make a pescatarian bone broth with fish bones or shrimp shells, but you can’t make a vegetarian one. If you need a vegetarian broth and don’t want to buy a junk-filled one, use things like mushrooms and sea greens to take your broth to the next level (from a nutrient perspective!)
AIP: to make this suitable for the autoimmune protocol, omit cumin and coriander. Use ½ tbsp of turmeric instead. Add ½ cup fresh cilantro right before pureeing.
- 1 tbsp fat of choice (ghee, coconut oil, lard, olive oil)
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- ½ tbsp cumin seeds
- ½ tbsp coriander seeds
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp ginger, minced
- 7 cups carrots, chopped
- 7 cups liquid (I usually do half broth, half water)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk or grassfed cream
- 1. In a large pot over medium heat, add fat and let heat for 15-20s.
- 2. Add in onions and celery, sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so they do not burn.
- 3. Meanwhile, in a small pan, toast cumin and coriander seeds. Simply cook over medium heat, tossing every few minutes until toasted - abut 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on these, they burn quickly! Once toasted, grind in a spice or (dedicated) coffee grinder.
- 4. Once the onions and celery are tender, add in garlic, ginger and toasted/ground spices. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- 5. Add in carrots, broth, water and sea salt. The carrots should be almost completely submerged, so add more liquid if you need to.
- 6. Bring to a boil and reduce a simmer. Cook for at least 30 minutes, ideally closer to an hour.
- 7. Using an immersion blender, puree soup and serve!
- 8. If using coconut milk or grassfed cream, stir in right before serving, just to heat through.
- To make vegetarian/vegan - use vegetable broth or homemade broth (ideally made with mushrooms and sea greens for added nutrition).
- You can use ground cumin/coriander as well, but it will be less flavourful.
- To make AIP - omit cumin and coriander. Use ½ tbsp of turmeric instead. Add ½ cup fresh cilantro right before blending.
- This recipe freezes well - simply fill glass jars almost all the way, leaving about 2 inches of room at the top so the jar doesn't explode. Let cool for an hour or 2 before putting in the freezer.
