Indonesian Carrot Soup Recipe From New England Soup Factory Cookbook

Rhode Islanders are used to temperamental weather. Last week during a respite from the floods, my dad called to boast that it was in the '90s -- 92 degrees to be exact -- and the first time this year that he turned on the AC in the car. When my mom got on the phone a few minutes later she said they were expecting snow the next day. That's New England weather for you -- unpredictable.

Perhaps that's why New England is home to so many delicious, seasonal, soul-soothing soups. No matter what time of the year it is in New England soup always tastes just right. Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein prove this point deliciously in their New England Soup Factory Cookbook, which includes over 100 soup recipes. The recipes run the gamut from classics like lobster bisque to ethnic specialties like Tuscan Ribollita.

Thanks to our dear Rhode Island family friend, Jo-Ann, I am the proud owner of this wonderful cookbook which includes a stellar recipe for vegetarian Indonesian Carrot Soup made with creamy coconut milk, minced fresh ginger, and sherry.

With its velvety texture and mixture of sweet and spicy ingredients, such as honey and crushed red pepper flakes, it makes an ideal springtime soup that crosses the threshold from snow-covered streets to daffodil-lined sidewalks.

If you don't have your own Jo-Ann, then I recommend finding one soon. Sure, you'll receive thoughtful gifts like cookbooks, but more importantly, you'll have a true friend for all seasons, no matter how fickle the weather gets.


Garnish soup with either fresh cilantro or lightly toasted shredded coconut.

Indonesian Carrot Soup from New England Soup Factory Cookbook
Makes 10-12 servings
Print recipe only here.

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled (I omitted)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I used closer to 2 tablespoons)
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery
3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons ground yellow curry powder
2 teaspoons ground corinader
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 cups vegetables stock
1/2 cup sherry
1/2 cup honey
2 cans (16 oz each) coconut milk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I used 4 tablespoons)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat a stockpot or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, ginger, onion, celery, and carrots. Saute for 10 minutes. Add the curry, coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, stock, and sherry. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 35 minutes (I did it for about 20 minutes).

2. Remove from the heat and add the honey, coconut milk, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Puree the soup in the pot using a hand blender or working in batches with a regular blender until smooth. Add more honey if you like a sweeter soup.

Here are more springtime recipes you might enjoy from Food Blogga:
Baby Artichoke and Asparagus Risotto
Savory Sausage and Fennel Galette
Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry-Mango Salsa
Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Citrus-Sage Glaze
Strawberry and Cardamom Crumb Cake

Here are more delicious carrot soup recipes you might enjoy:
White Carrot Soup recipe from Real Epicurean
Coriander Carrot Soup recipe from Soup Chick
Catch All Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup recipe from 80 Breakfasts
Carrot and Celery Root Soup recipe from The Nourishing Gourmet
Gingered Carrot and Pinto Bean Soup recipe from Lisa's Kitchen
Moroccan Chermoula and Carrot Soup recipe from Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska

Want to Lose Weight? Forget New Year's Resolutions and Start Making Soup.

New Year's resolutions. They're nothing but bunkum.

"Resolve to lose weight." It sounds real enough. It's a statement made in the dark of winter when we are most vulnerable. The holiday season romanced us with its twinkling lights, sparkling cocktails (can you say 400-calorie-martini?), and carb-heavy desserts. We indulge. We regret. Then on January 1st we commit to a diet.

By January 10th, most of us (read I) rummage through the pantry closet for something, anything chocolatey, salty, sweet, or preferably all three. We spot the bag of blue corn tortilla chips hidden behind the oatmeal and tell ourselves, "These are pretty healthy." We eat a few. Close the bag. Re-open it. Eat a few more. Next thing we know, half the bag is gone. Then we're thinking, "Well, hell, I already ruined my New Year's resolution. I might as well eat 'em all now."

If any diet worked, then why do magazines promote them on their covers every month, every year? Because they know that we are fallible and that living a life of extremes isn't attainable for most. Consider some of these weight loss claims from popular women's magazines: "Melt 10 LBS Fast!" "Shed One Size! In Just 2 Weeks!" "Shrink Your Belly!" And these are just the ones on my coffee table.

I say, "No." No to fast fixes, unrealistic goals, and tasteless foods. No to diets.

I say, "Yes" to moderation. After 30-some-odd years, I have found that it's the only way for me to stay healthy and fit and sane. I eat all foods, but in moderation. I eat meat and cookies and drink an occasional martini. I also exercise regularly, in moderation; most days for 30-45 minutes.

I spent too many years obsessing about my weight, about exercise, about eating. My resolution this year is to live life, enjoy food, and stay healthy by forming and maintaining habits I can realistically sustain.



I also resolve to eat a lot of soup, which will be easy. Broth-based soup filled with veggies are nutritious and filling. Studies have shown that people who eat 1 1/2-2 cups of vegetable soup before a meal consume about 135 fewer calories at the meal.

Lately, I have been eating my Easy Butternut Squash and Kale Soup. It's chock-full of vitamin-rich veggies and fiber-rich beans. With both winter squash and dark, leafy greens at their peak, this soup is ideal for the cold winter months.

Sure, I eat pretty well, exercise, and eat a lot of soup. I also have bad days when I feel awful about the  way I look or regret eating mindlessly. But I know that eating well is more than just a resolution. It's changing the way you think about food and giving yourself healthy yet delicious options from which to choose. That's why foods like soup are so great to have in the house -- if you've taken time to make something healthy and delicious, it's a whole lot easier to eat something that will make you feel good about yourself.

Easy Butternut Squash, Kale, and Chickpea Soup
Serves 6
Note: This is a vegetarian soup. If you omit the sprinkling of cheese on top, then it's vegan. 

Print recipe only here.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced, preferably with some leaves
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 3-4 cups)
1 (14.5 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
7 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (more if you prefer it soupier)
1 small bunch kale (dinosaur or curly), washed and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt, to taste
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top

1. In a large pot over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and saute 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the squash, chickpeas, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cook 5-7 minutes, or until squash is tender but not mushy. Add kale, crushed red pepper, and salt. Heat through, about 3 minutes. Stir in herbs. Taste it, and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve hot, garnishing each bowl with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

You might also enjoy these soups from Food Blogga:
Healthy Chili
Italian Lentil Soup
Italian Escarole and Bean Soup
Curried Red Lentil, Chickpea, and Red Kale Soup

Here are more wonderful soups featuring butternut squash and/or kale:
Butternut Squash Soup recipe at The Perfect Pantry
Curried Butternut Squash Soup recipe at The Garden of Eating
Butternut Squash Chili with Kale recipe at Dani Spies
Spicy Kale, Chorizo, and Squash Soup recipe at Eggs on Sunday
Kale and Apple Soup recipe at Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn

Who Has Time to Do Preserving? I've Gotta Pack.

An oversized red bell pepper from the La Jolla Farmers Market.

This post was going to be about the joys of preserving late summer's produce for winter, especially red bell peppers. I had planned on extolling the virtues of making your own roasted peppers -- tastier, healthier, cheaper -- rather than buying them. That's not gonna happen.



In less than 20 hours, I'll be on a plane to San Fransisco for the BlogHer Food '09 Conference, where I'll be on the panel, The Meaning of Identity and The Value of Voice in a Crowded Food Blogging World, with Ree Drummond, Garrett McCord and Dianne Jacob. And before I leave, I have a few things to do, including:

• Finish a chapter in my upcoming book.
• Edit an upcoming piece for SDNN.com about a local farmers market.
• Pack for the trip.
• Freak out that I have NOTHING to wear for the trip and debate going shopping. Again.
• Conduct an interview about how to cook tri-tip BBQ.
• Try not to get sucked into the abyss, otherwise known as Twitter.
• Make a batch of biscotti that I promised to a friend. What was I thinking?
• Have a mini-meltdown that I'll never get all of these things done in time and blame it on Twitter.
• Throw a half dozen protein bars in my carry on, so I can virtuously deny those peanut butter crackers and chocolate chip cookies the flights attendants will heave upon me.
• Call Jeff and complain that I have NOTHING to wear this weekend.
• Drink coffee. How else am I gonna get all this stuff done?
• Hope that my Good Bite video for Quaker Oats is all set cause I had a good hair day when I taped it.
• Watch the latest episode of Mad Men with Jeff tonight while sipping a gin and tonic with extra lime, because, after a day like this, I've earned it.
• Lie in bed unable to fall asleep because I'm still fretting about having NOTHING to wear this weekend.
• Wonder if they sell any good cocktail dresses in the San Diego airport.

Oh, and you should definitely make this soup. You'll love it.



Fennel Spiked Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup
Makes 4 servings
Print recipe only here.

1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, reserving a few for garnish
6 large roasted red bell peppers, diced
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (28-oz) can diced or crushed tomatoes with juices
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
a generous sprinkling of salt
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add onions, and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned.

2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium heat, add coriander and fennel seeds. Toast until aromatic, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Add diced roasted peppers to the onions and stir. Add broth and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer. Add crushed red pepper flakes, toasted coriander and fennel seeds, and salt. Stir well. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Turn off heat and cool for 5-10 minutes.

4. Puree soup in two batches until smooth, and return to the pot over medium-low until thoroughly heated. Taste it; adjust seasonings accordingly. If desired, add more broth for a soupier consistency. Garnish each serving with some toasted fennel seeds and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Here's how to make roasted red peppers. Of course, for a quicker version, you can substitute jarred roasted peppers.

1. Preheat a grill to high. Place peppers on the grill, rotating several times, until fully blackened (about 20 minutes).
2. Place grilled peppers inside a paper bag and close the top tightly. Place the bag inside a large bowl (to catch any juices that spill out), for about 10 minutes. The steam will help the skins peel off more easily.
3. Remove one pepper at a time. Place on a cutting board, and split open. Remove the stem and the seeds.
4. Using a piece of paper towel, rub the skins off. If you have trouble removing them, then steam them a bit longer; otherwise, they should come off easily.

Note: If you don't have a grill, then you can roast or broil the peppers in the oven. You can even place them directly on the burner of a gas stove. Click here for more about roasting red peppers.

You might also like my:
Grilled Eggplant with Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade
Creamy Corn and Zucchini Soup
Healthy Chili
Red Lentil Mulligatawny with Apple-Celery Salsa

You might also like these red pepper soups:
Roasted Red Pepper, Lentil & Spinach Soup at Albion Cooks
Pepper Soup at eCurry
Quick and Easy Roasted Bell Pepper Soup at Farmgirl Fare