It's been a while since I have made soup. I know I have said before that I am one of those weird people who loves to eat soup any time of year...yada yada yada. That statement remains true BUT I will say, I have gone through a bit of a dry spell with soup recently. Maybe because of the hot summer weather, maybe because I have just been lazy. Either way, it has been a while.

I went out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus on Friday night. My mom got some chilled curried carrot soup as her starter and I obviously had to have a bite. Not surprisingly, it was GOOD. It was good enough that I immediately put it at the top of my list to re-create this weekend. I should mention that I am not always a fan of chilled soups. I think they can straddle a thin line and can often be more like savory smoothies. No thanks. Still, I was excited to see how my re-creation turned out.

Yesterday when I was at the grocery I gathered all my ingredients (carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, cashews, vegetable broth, etc). I didn't buy any curry because I was 1,000% sure I already had curry leftover at home from some Indian dishes I made a few months ago. I was excited to play with curry in this dish. I love curry.

Unfortunately, when I got home and started making the soup, I realized I didn't have any curry.

WHAT.

I have no idea what happened to my curry....I swear I had close to a whole spice bottle left.

Well shoot...on to plan B.

By the way, I had no plan B. I did however have some oranges in my fruit basket. I have made a few carrot orange soups in the past and I know I really like that flavor combo. Long story short, the oranges saved this soup. Instead of the savory curry soup I had originally planned on making, it was transformed into a bright and cheery, very fresh tasting soup.

If the color isn't enough to make you want to dive right into the bowl, the aroma and flavors certainly will. The ginger and orange pair so lovely with the carrot and the cashews provide a luscious creaminess that really rounds everything out. Raw cashews never cease to amaze me by how versatile they are. You can really transform a soup or sauce by adding some raw cashews. It's pretty awesome!

On top of being incredibly yummy, this soup is packed with nutrition. Just look at that color...hello antioxidants!

I was planning on serving this soup chilled but I actually prefer it hot. You can eat it however your little heart desires. I think it's safe to say that I am back on the soup train. In fact, I just finished eating a big bowl of this soup as part of my lunch today.

I plan to experiment with a creamy curry soup again soon. I bet you can take a guess at what the first thing on my grocery list will be. I'll give you a hint....it starts with a "c", ends in a "y", and rhymes with murray.

Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup (V)

|Makes 4-5 bowls|

A luxuriously creamy soup bursting with refreshing flavor and wholesome, nutrient dense ingredients. Enjoy hot or cold!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil (or coconut oil)
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
3 small cloves garlic
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
4 cups vegetable broth (I used no-salt-added vegetable bouillon cubes + water)
Juice of 2 large oranges
3/4 cups raw cashews, soaked in water
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place cashews in a bowl and soak for at least 30 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and ginger and saute for 5 minutes, until onions begin to get translucent. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
Pour in the broth, orange juice, and carrots. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the carrots are fork tender.
Drain and rinse cashews well. Pour soup and cashews in a blender (you might need to do this in 2-3 batches if your blender isn't big enough). Starting on low, blend until it comes together, gradually increasing the speed to high. *An immersion blender will work as well.
Taste and adjust as needed (salt pepper, etc).
Enjoy!

xoxo,

Lauren