"Creamy" Carrot Soup

soup vegan vegetables Aug 22, 2019

Go to any restaurant and order a creamy soup and guaranteed it has some form of dairy in it.

Why?

Because most chefs don’t realize that you can make soup “creamy” without adding in the dairy.

Which is so annoying for those of us who can’t have dairy.

(I think I should go on a mission to educate restaurants on how to make non-dairy soups…seriously, if the soups don’t have dairy then they have gluten in it…what’s a girl with food sensitivities to do? Oh yeah, make my own--it’s better anyway :) )

How do I make “creamy” soups without the cream? Using oats is one little fantastic secret I learned at The Natural Gourmet and I swear by it.

This soup is sooooo delicious, easy and satisfying. It will quickly become your autumn/winter favorite like it is mine!

What’s Amazing About This Soup?

Carrots--Sweet and grounding this crunchy little powerhouse of deliciousness is packed with beta-carotene that is not only good for our eyes, as we all know but is also great for slowing down the aging of the cells. Very Smart, Very Sexy.

Oats--Oats are the “secret weapon” when it comes to making soups creamy. Their high-fiber and complex carbohydrate content are said to slow down the conversion to simple sugars, which is beneficial to those of us with blood sugar issues.

If you have issues with gluten, make sure to use oats that are certified gluten-free (Bob's Red Mill brand carries some).

Ginger--Oh man, what isn’t Smart & Sexy about ginger? It helps to battle the cold and flu (ginger tea anyone?) and according to Ayurvedic Traditions ginger is considered an aphrodisiac (you can’t get sexier than that).

What’s also really great about ginger is that it improves the absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body--it’s not just what you eat, it’s what you absorb that’s important!

Creamy Carrot Soup with Oats

[Makes approx. 6 cups]

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion (about 3/4 pound) cut into medium dice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
5 cups stock or water
¼ cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice
2 tablespoons dill, chopped for garnish

In a medium pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and salt. Sauté’ until onions are softened (about 5-8 minutes). Stir often to prevent browning.

Add the carrots, cover pot, and cook over low heat for 5-6 minutes. Stir to prevent browning.

Add stock and oats to the pot. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 25 minutes, covered until carrots are very tender.

Using a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix) or immersion blender, blend the soup until creamy. Add additional stock to desired consistency.

Add lemon and ginger juice. Readjust seasonings.

Garnish with dill and serve (if you don’t have fresh on hand feel free to use dried).

**How To Juice Ginger**

Using a micro-plane zester (or if using box grater, run ginger over the fine holes) “zest” the ginger until you have a mound about a Tablespoon full. Pick up and squeeze grated ginger into the soup.

I’ve also been known to just throw the whole piece of ginger into the Vitamix. I don’t think the flavor is as pungent as using the juice but when I’m feeling lazy, it works!

Recipe Courtesy Of The Natural Gourmet Institute