I started making soup a few years ago when I got married, as my husband loves soup. He craves soup as much as I crave pizza (which, if you know me, is a lot...), and our Sunday walks home from church usually include the following conversation: "What should we have for lunch when we get home?" "How about pizza/ soup???" (Depending on who is speaker one or speaker two). I don't like to cook very much on the weekend, so the choices are usually limited to things that are fast, frozen, or canned. I've never been a huge soup fan, but I really don't like canned soup. It tastes tinny and fake, not to mention that it is nothing like pizza! So, to satisfy my husband's soup cravings (and perhaps to score some pizza points) I've started experimenting with lots of homemade soups during the week. And I have discovered that soup can, in fact, be wonderful! Like this one:
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| Coconut Carrot Soup. Yum! |
Coconut Carrot Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
-Butter (enough to fry onions)
-2-4 cups of carrots (it really depends how carroty you want your soup, versus how creamy or brothy! I usually go with as many carrots as I have on hand, and I like to use baby carrots)
-1/2 onion (or 1 small)
-1 tsp ground ginger
-1 packet of chicken bouillon
- Enough water to cover carrots in a pot
-1-2 can coconut milk (again, it depends on taste preferences, I usually just use 1 can, but 2 will make it extra smooth and creamy)
-1 Tbsp brown sugar
-1 Tbsp parsley
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 Tsp flaked coconut per bowl (optional)
Directions:
1.) Chop onions and fry them in butter until yellow and tender.
2.) At the same time, boil carrots in just enough water to cover them. Once the water boils add the chicken bouillon. Let carrots boil for awhile to soften. Strain carrots, but keep the water... set aside for later.
3.) Add carrots to the onions and butter. Stir in the ginger. Once carrots and onions are coated, turn off the heat and put the carrot mixture in the food processor. Process for a minute or two, then add the water from earlier. Mix until smooth.
4.) Pour the pureed carrots into the saucepan. Turn on medium heat, and add the can (cans) of coconut milk and brown sugar. Cook and stir until mixture is one consistent colour and begins to bubble.
5.) Once mixture begins to bubble add the salt, pepper and parsley. Cook and stir.
6.) Optional: sprinkle a teaspoon of flaked (unsweetened) coconut on the top of each bowl of soup.
Serve as a first course, or as a main dish paired with homemade biscuits or fresh bread and salad.
Enjoy!
-J.L.
