As the weather cools off, warm food like soup always comes to mind. I believe that nothing warms us up better than soup! Soup can be a great opportunity not only to warm us up, but to creatively get our veggies in each day. There are no rules when it comes to making soup, you are only restricted by your imagination. I like to experiment with different flavors when I make soup. Here is how I create new soups: I look and see what veggies are hiding in the refrigerator. Then I raid my spice cabinet to give it a kick.
This might sound like some mad scientist running around the kitchen but this is how I create most things. I don’t think we really need to worry about exact ingredients because the flavors are what we are after. I recommend starting with the flavors that you already like and go from there. Since you now have free rein to put in whatever you want, why not revisit some classic flavors and combinations? I remember when I was growing up, every meal seemed to have the classic combination of peas and carrots. As a kid I didn’t appreciate this dish as much as I do now. I think it was because “KID” and “VEGGIES” were not a friendly combination.
These veggies were boring to me. Maybe because they weren’t fresh all of the time. Or maybe because they were constantly served.. who knows? I spend many a night pushing them side to side on the plate or trying to feed them to the dog without success. But as I got older, the flavor of fresh vibrant peas and hearty carrots became a favorite of mine today– so much that I thought of making a soup that highlights these two ingredients–EAT YOUR PEAS N CARROTS SOUP. I named it this because I think it is time we all LIKE that statement! This soup is hearty, fresh and full of nutrients that will warm you up even on the coldest autumn day. I think once you try this soup, you will fall in love with this combination, FINALLY. You will come running when you hear “EAT YOUR PEAS N CARROTS!!”… STAY WARM my friend!
A CHEF’S TIP: I use chickpea miso paste for this recipe because the flavor is very mild and delicate. You can use white miso paste as a substitute.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
- 8 cups filtered water
- 2/3 cup organic unpasteurized chickpea miso paste
- 6 large cloves organic garlic, fine chopped
- 2 TBSP fresh organic ginger, fine chopped
- 1/2 tsp organic salt free chili powder (I use Turkish chili powder)
- 2 cups organic carrot rounds, medium thickness
- 1/2 cup organic yellow onion, medium diced
- 2 cups fresh organic shelled peas
- 2 cups steamed organic whole grain brown rice, no oil or salt
- 8 large fresh organic basil leaves, rough chopped
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil on high. Ladle the miso into the water and whisk until fully dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the garlic, ginger, chili powder and the carrots. Bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add in the onion and gently boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. In four large serving bowls, add to each bowl– 1/2 cup peas and 1/2 cup steamed rice. Ladle the soup/veggies evenly into the 4 bowls. Garnish evenly with the chopped basil. ENJOY!! I serve it with organic whole grain sour dough and organic cold pressed olive oil.