Garden Inspired Carrot Soup

Last week I cleaned out as much garden space as possible for our fall planting. Along with several sweaty hours of weeding (and a few days of lower back pain lol), this involved pulling up the rest the carrots and beets we have been slowly harvesting over the summer. The powerful smell of sweet, fresh carrots immediately dictated my dinner plans and as soon as the dirt and sweat from a rewarding day in the garden was showered off, I had carrot soup simmering on the stove. It was so good, we repeated the menu today- but added fresh garlic naan on the side. What a winner! This is a simple soup (my favorite kind) and the variations are plentiful. Makes about 10 cups.

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Garnished with fresh basil and chili powder

Ingredients

2 pounds of carrots (we don’t bother to peel them, just scrub. This way is time saving and more nutritious. Truly, I’m just lazy and hate peeling vegetables- so I’m forever thrilled to be able to pull the “healthier” card!)

1-2 TBSP of butter or coconut oil to sauté onion

1 diced onion

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth ( we always have homemade bone broth in the freezer)

salt and pepper to taste

Opt: 1 can evaporated milk or 1-2 cups cream or coconut milk added at the end, spices such as turmeric, curry, chili powder, dill, parsley, cilantro

Toppings- fresh basil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, sour cream or whatever your heart desires or garden grows

Directions

Sauté onion in the butter or oil till soft

Add chopped up carrots (don’t have to be small- you are going to puree this anyways)

Add broth and spices and simmer till vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes

Puree with a hand blender (you can use a conventional blender, but be careful with hot liquids- they tend to blow up onto the ceiling. Ask me how I know)

At this point you can add milk or cream if you like, or slup it just as it is.

Garnish goes a long way with a pureed soup. Fresh basil is our favorite- but any fresh herb or cheese would do.

This is a moment I crave a loaf of fresh sourdough bread- if only I had time to garden, cook AND bake!!

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making space for the fall planting

2018 Fall planting includes

two varieties of Carrots and radishes

three Lettuces, succession planted

Parsnips

three varieties of Kale

three varieties of Cabbage

two types of bush green beans

two types of Broccoli

Cauliflower

Kohl rabi

three types of Collards

Cilantro

Dill

Beets

Zucchini

Spinach

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Olive and her teenagers napping in the shade

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