Autumn Carrot & Turnip soup

 

 

Hello my beautiful friends,

It has been far too long… I had originally written almost an entire post (just not complete enough to publish it!) on Canadian Thanksgiving with more tips and tricks about hosting a stress free gathering, along with the soup recipe I was going to serve. Unfortunately, my son got very sick the week before Thanksgiving and everything came to a halt. And I mean everything came to a halt. At that moment, nothing else mattered other then figuring out what was going on with Adriano and getting him better. It is such a nerve racking experience to see your child get sick and feel so powerless… Because Adriano is only 14 months, he can’t tell me what’s wrong and it makes me feel completely at a loss and unable to help him. It’s quite a humbling experience…

That being said, I am happy to say he is now almost fully recovered but it was a very scary two weeks. When Adriano finally started eating and drinking again it’s a huge relief and I knew things would get better from there… And they did.

And so needless to say, we completely missed Thanksgiving! I did manage to serve this soup I had made and kept in the freezer, alongside some mashed potatoes, cranberry stuffing, marinated tempeh (for which I’ll post the recipe later on this week because it is completely to die for… or should I say, to be thankful for! lol) and a green salad. It was far from the celebration I had prepared for (I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving for years now and it’s one of my very favourite holidays alongside Easter!) but considering everything (did I mention I got pretty sick also, spending 2 full days barely being able to move from the couch!), I think it turned out pretty good.

What I missed the most this year was spending time with my family. Because Adriano was sick, and so was I, and doctors couldn’t figure out what was going on with him, we didn’t want to chance it and have my sister, her kids, my parents or my in-laws exposed to whatever virus or whatever else was going on. So we stayed home… I won’t lie, not being able to see my family or part take in our yearly post meal soccer game made me realize just how thankful I am to have such an amazing family. It made me realize how lucky I am to have so many great people in my life that I can count on, on a moment’s notice. It also made me realize how grateful I am for my husband and my son and how precious they are to me…

When something is taken away from you, regardless of how benign or little it is, it wakes something up in you and makes you realize just how lucky you are… Or at least that’s how I feel. Thankful and grateful. And even though my husband Chris and I didn’t get to have our traditional Thanksgiving, we were so thankful we were even able to even have a thanksgiving meal and that our son was home with us.

So even though this soup recipe won’t make it to your Thanksgiving table, it is totally worth making because it is easy, delicious, nutritious and heart warming… Oh and did I mention you can freeze it and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Perfect for when you are pressed for time and need to crab something to feed your family. This soup is hearty enough to make a meal on it’s own, served with some crusty bread for dipping or a side salad.

I hope all of you had an amazing Thanksgiving, that you took the time to say thanks for everything you have in your life and be grateful for everyone that shared the day with you.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you guys did for Thanksgiving and what made it to your table!

xx

 

Carrot & turnip soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 portions
This is such a versatile soup. If you don’t have turnips (or you don’t like them!), you can add squash or other root vegetable you have on hand and that your family enjoys. You can serve it topped with some vegan sour cream and chopped chives for a pretty finishing touch.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic gloves, minced
  • 1 leek, white part only, sliced thick
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced thick
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbs cumin, ground
  • 1/2 tsp all spice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
  • 7 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 turnip, cut in cubes
  • 1 medium white potato, cut into cubes (I used a Russet potato)
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium high heat.
  2. Add the diced onion, garlic and leek.
  3. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the spices and coat the onion mixture. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the spices become fragrant. Be careful no to burn the spices so stir frequently.
  5. Add the remaining vegetables and coat with the onion spice mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
  7. Once the soup is boiling, bring the heat back down to medium low and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  8. With a fork, check to make sure the carrots and potatoes are well cooked (cooking time will depend greatly on how thick or thin you cut the root vegetables). Add another 5 minutes if not cooked through.
  9. Once cooked, allow the soup to cool slightly then with a hand blender, blend the soup until you reach a nice creamy consistency.
  10. Serve with vegan sour cream and chives or allow to cool completely, transfer to glass jars and freeze for alter use.