Golden Soup
After a flat white fueled, croissant laden trip to New York, I got back to South Carolina in need of something really nourishing. This time of year, when it’s cold and rainy, soup is all I want. However, with my active lifestyle (and 6’3 husband) I have to make sure we’re not just talking broth. This soup has substance, and I find I can use the leftovers as a delicious addition to anything the next day. I always strive to use organic produce, and I think in a vegetable forward soup such as this, the difference in taste really shows.
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas (two if you need the extra protein; level up your game by buying dried chickpeas and pressure cooking them fresh)
1 head of cauliflower, broken up into small florets
4 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds (no need to peel)
3 tbs curry powder
2 tbs ground turmeric
Salt to taste (I use Diamond Krystal kosher salt)
dash (or dashes) of cayenne pepper
EVOO
1 yellow or sweet onion, chopped small
1 tbs finely chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups of veggie or chicken stock (Look at the ingredients when you buy, unless you’re making it fresh. Try to get one with minimal ingredients)
1 can of full fat coconut milk
1 tsp sugar (I used coconut sugar, maple syrup also nice)
2 tbs fresh lime juice
Cilantro for garnishing
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 425ºF.
Rinse chickpeas and pat to dry.
Place chickpeas, cauliflower, and carrots on a lined baking sheet. Toss with some EVOO, 1 tablespoon of the curry powder and turmeric, a dash of cayenne and a few finger-fulls of salt. Roast for 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender and getting a little color.
Heat your stockpot on the stove, and when warmed, add a few tablespoons of EVOO. It’s important that the EVOO doesn’t burn/smoke, this turns it into a trans fat, which nobody wants. Add onions and cook until they begin to soften. Add ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add remaining curry powder and turmeric, and a few more dashes of salt. Cayenne if you’re in that sort of mood. Stir until everything is coated in the aromatic spices.
Deglaze the pot with your veggie or chicken stock. Then add the coconut milk, sugar, and lime juice. Stir until well integrated.
Add half the roasted veggies and chickpeas to the stockpot. With an immersion blender, blend until smooth. You can also use a blender here - but if it’s plastic, be weary that the soup isn’t too hot.
Stir the remaining veggies into the soup, leaving a few on the side to top to serve (you’ll want a picture it’s so gorgeous). Garnish with a generous amount of cilantro (which is cooling to balance the heat of the dish).
Enjoy mindfully.