Carrot Coconut Soup

The days are getting shorter and colder. The Summer is over and we begin to crave warming and comforting foods. What could be better than a bowl of tasty soup on a foggy afternoon?

My favorite food store in the US, the Whole Foods Market, has a list of interesting recipes. You can substitute pumpkins or butternut for carrots and add parsnips to this recipe. There is no limit to your creativity. Enjoy in good company. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 TBS + 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 TBS fresh ginger, sliced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 cups sliced carrots, about 1/4-inch thick
• 1 cup sweet potato, cut into about 1/2-inch cubes
• 5 oz canned coconut milk
• salt and white pepper to taste

Method:

• Chop onion and let it sit for at least five minutes to bring out its hidden health benefits.
• Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Add garlic and ginger and continue to sauté for another minute.
• Add curry powder and mix well with onions.
• Add broth, carrots, and sweet potato and simmer on medium high heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
• Add coconut milk.
• Blend in batches making sure blender is not more than half full. When it's hot, and the blender is too full, it can erupt and burn you. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Return to soup pot and reheat.

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidants and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A. Carrots' antioxidant compound, the beta-carotene, helps protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promotes good vision, especially at night. Carrots are also rich in vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium. 

Purchase organic vegetable whenever you can.

Recipe source here