Cashew Ginger Carrot Soup

HAPPY FRIDAY! What is better to soothe the soul and welcome in the chilly weather than a thick hearty soup? I saw this soup in Provigo in a premade tetra-pak (like you see veggie broth) that you just heat and serve, so I decided to try my luck with a nutty soup! I absolutely adore how the cashews make it super creamy and thick. The one thing I would do next time is increase the amount of ginger. That being said, I am a ginger fiend. I know many people might reduce the amount of ginger, but I really loved the punch it packed.

After having a fresh and warm bowl straight off the stove with a piece of toast, I put the remaining soup in the fridge. The next day I had it cold (with more tahini and lemon juice) and I dipped broccoli, zucchini, green beans and crackers into it. IT WAS AWESOME. It had thickened up in the fridge and made for a wonderful dip.

I want to make more soups to keep me warm that use nuts as a thickener, any suggestions? Pumpkin & ginger? Pumpkin & apple? Butternut squash & pear? Spinach & curry? I’LL JUST MAKE ALL THE SOUPS.

CASHEW GINGER CARROT SOUP (serves 4):

• 1/2 cup cashews, soaked for atleast 2 hours
• 2 tablespoons grapseed oil
• 2lbs carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon corriander
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• sea salt, to taste
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock/broth
• Optional: red wine vinegar to taste

To garnish:

• small handful flat-leaf parsley
• 4 teaspoons tahini
• fresh lemon juice
• pinch of sunflower seeds
• fresh ground pepper

Method:

A few hours before cooking, soak 1/2 cup raw cashews in a bowl with enough water to cover them completely.

In a large pot, over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the carrots, celery, garlic fresh ginger, thyme, cumin, corriander, pinch of cayenne, and about 1 teaspoon salt to the pot; stirring occasionally, let the carrots brown with the lid on (about 10 minutes). They will become quite fragrant and begin to soften. Add the soaked cashews and let cook for another 2 or 3 minutes with the lid on.

Add the vegetable broth to the carrots, bring to a boil then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the carrots and celery are very tender (a fork should easily cut through).

Using an immersion blender, or by transferring into a blender in batched, puree the soup until thick and creamy! Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt or even red wine vinegar (I used 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar)

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with a sprinkling of parsley, a teaspoon of tahini, a big squeeze of lemon juice, a large pinch of sunflower seeds, and a healthy grind of pepper.

Devour!

Butternut Squash & Tahini Dip

 

Again, a simple dish!

This recipe is altered from Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem (Again…). Originally this spread was thickened with greek yogurt, and since I don’t eat yogurt, I simply omitted it. I roasted the squash with the skin on and simply peeled it off once the squash was baked. One could eaily remove the hassle by peeling the squash before roasting. However I had an indredibly difficult time peeling it so I simply waited until after it was roasted.

This spread is perfect with any plain or flavoured crackers or in a sandwich or wrap. The roasting of the squash makes it easy to mash into the tahini with a fork so no food processor or blender is required! Plus the coarse and chunkier texture is a great change from the ultra smooth hummus-like pastes I’m used to.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH & TAHINI DIP (serves 6)

• 1 large butternut squash, quartered and sliced into 1/4 inch crescents
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 6 tablespoon tahini
• 2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 400F.

Spread the squash on a roasting pan (for easier clean up and easy removal of squash slices, place the slices on parchment paper). Mix the oil, cinnamon, cardamom and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and brush onto the squash. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the squash provides NO resistance when poked with a fork. Remove from oven, and as hot as you can handle, cut off the skin. Leave to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine cooked squash, tahini and garlic. Smash with a fork until it forms a coarse paste.

If you plan on presenting this nicely, spread the dip on a platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds, drizzle the maple syrup and garnish with cilantro.

Serve with your favorite crackers or veggies!

I’d love to try making this with mashed chickpeas incorporated. Or I would overcook red lentils and mash them with the squash for an added protein boost. Regardless, this is a crowd pleaser, takes minimal effort, and tastes great. I loved opening my tupperware for lunch and seeing the beautiful spread inviting me to dig in after a long morning of dancing.