Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

One of the great things about this recipe is that it is totally customizable.  It is almost a blank slate where you can make it taste any way you want.  Fall and winter?  Add the warming spices of cinnamon or nutmeg.  Like a bit of spice?  Add garlic and cayenne.  Want to go Thai?  Add some lemon and coconut milk.  More protein?  Silken tofu will hide out in here with no one the wiser.

I am big into customizing food.  Even the dog gets her food customized. (I know, I know…I need help)

A few tablespoons of doggie stew, some carrots, peas, green beans or broccoli as a topper and then turkey.  Maybe even a bit of brown rice if the tummy is not doing well.  She eats better than me some days.

Her play date buddy also has a customized diet of dry food and a bit of canned for flavor.  He is a bit more of a finicky eater than she is though, so sometimes his food sits around for a bit.  When she is invited over (or just runs next door and crashes into the house uninvited, potato, po-tah-toe) she makes a beeline for his dish and scarfs down every last scrap while he wiggles his bottom and invites her to play chase.  The girl has her priorities though.  Food first, friendship second.

A few months ago, he was the one who crashed her party.  I had just put her breakfast down, and she was having a slow start that morning, moseying down the steps like she was working the red carpet at the Met Gala.  Unfortunately, he got to the bowl first, and Mr. “I have to be begged to eat breakfast” scarfed most of it down in a nanosecond.

She must have heard him chewing, since she picked up speed halfway down the stairs (that dog can be at the other side of the house and hear me pop a pretzel into my mouth.  Meanwhile, she cannot hear when I am calling her for a bath.  She has her father’s selective hearing.  Hmmmm.)  and came crashing into the kitchen like a runaway freight train.  As she skidded to a halt in front of her half empty bowl, he had the good sense to back off  and look for a place to hide.

Sticking her nose into the bowl, she plopped down, glared at her poor buddy and then looked pointedly at me like, “You don’t expect me to eat his leftovers, do you?  You’d better get on it and make me a fresh bowl.”

Which I did.  Believe me, you do not want Chloe mad at you.  That girl can hold a grudge.  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shallots, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 cups carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2/3  cup sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions:

1. In a small amount of oil or vegan butter, lightly saute the shallot for 2-3 minutes.  Add the broth, carrots and sweet potato.  (If you are adding garlic, saute  1/2 teaspoon, minced with the shallot for the last 30 seconds.  Otherwise, you will add any spices at the end.). Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and keep at a high simmer for 15-20 minutes till potato and carrots are tender.
2. Add the coconut milk and the zest. If you have an immersion blender, blend the mixture till smooth right in the pot.  If you are using a blender, wait till it cools off a bit to blend it, so you don’t blow the lid off the blender with the build up of steam. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. You can choose to go with almond milk or silken tofu  instead of coconut milk, or no milk at all.  You might like it just as it is with a bit of salt and pepper.  Also, you might choose to use different spices like nutmeg, cayenne or ginger, instead of the lemon zest.   I would start with 1/8 teaspoon of the spices at first, especially the nutmeg, cinnamon or cayenne as they are very strong.

*This recipe makes two bowls, or approximately 4  (soup) cups.

Enjoy!