Carrot and Ginger Soup with Cashew Cream

T'is the season for warm, yummy and healthy soups. So, I wanted to share this yummy gluten free and dairy free recipe that my partner so lovingly perfected.

Ingredients

For the soup:

2-3 lbs of carrots

8 cups of veggie broth (easy to make, see tip below)

2 Tbsp Olive oil

1 large or 2 medium onions chopped

2-3 tsp freshly grated ginger

½ tsp curry power

¼ tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp each of coriander, allspice, and cinnamon

1 tsp sea salt or to taste

Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes

For the cashew cream:

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup water

2 tsp fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)

¼ tsp salt

Pinch of nutmeg

Make it

Heat oil in a large pot, at least 6 quarts, and sauté onion with a pinch of salt until golden. Add carrots, ginger, all the spices, and stir to combine. Let the flavors bloom for a minute or two, then add most of the broth. Cook for 20 – 30 minutes, until the carrots are soft. Transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender to puree the mixture. Add remaining broth if needed to reach a smooth, bisque-like consistency.

For the cashew cream, put 1 cup cashews and 1 cup water into a blender, along with the lemon juice, salt and nutmeg. Blend until smooth and creamy, 2 – 3 minutes depending on your blender.

Tips

• You can make veggie broth at home using the trimmings from chopping the carrots, along with the ends and skins of the onion. Throw in some celery and things like broccoli stalks or stuff that would otherwise not get used. Simmer for 1 hour or so. Easy!

• Make the cashew cream ahead of time and pour it into a container to drizzle on the soup later. Don’t clean the blender! When you’re ready to blend the carrot mixture, pour it in with what remains of the cashew cream -- It will make for a creamier soup.