Autumn is right around the corner. This Thursday to be exact. Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year; there’s something so comforting about bundling up in the cooler weather. We naturally start to crave warm, comforting foods like soups and hot beverages. In honor of this beautiful season, I will be sharing some of my favorite fall soup recipes. Last week I shared my recipe for minestrone soup, a staple in our home during cooler months. In this week’s post and the next three, I will be sharing more seasonal soups that are simple to make, nourishing and delicious!

Today’s soup was inspired by the insane amount of carrots I currently have in my fridge. I am a member of a local CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) where I pick up a weekly box of locally-grown seasonal produce. (If you’re interested in finding a CSA near you, check out this link. It’s a wonderful way to eat seasonally and support local agriculture!) I’m pretty sure that I have gotten carrots in my box every week for the past five weeks. Never one to waste fresh produce, I realized that I needed to find a tasty recipe to use all these organic carrots.

Enter this Roasted Carrot Lentil Soup. There are plenty of recipes out there for carrot soup, but I’ve noticed that many are not complete meals since they contain little protein. This carrot soup balances out the sweet carrot flavor with hearty red lentils for a filling, nutrient-dense meal that is also really tasty! Full of Vitamin A, C, E and B Vitamins, carrots help build a strong immune system, which is very important as we enter cold season. Lentils are an underrated low-calorie superfood full of vitamins, minerals and protein. The coconut milk makes this soup creamy and the curry gives it a great kick without too much heat. Serve with a slice of whole grain bread or naan for a more Indian cuisine feel. All-around a great comfort soup!

By the way… this soup is naturally vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free and, of course, flavor-FULL. Can’t beat that, right? Bon appétit!

Roasted Carrot Lentil Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 12 medium-sized carrots, chopped*
• 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for roasting carrots
• 1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk (fully fatted, not light)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup red lentils, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

* If using organic carrots, no need to peel, just scrub and wash. If using conventional, you will probably want to peel the carrots. I chopped the carrots into quarters long-ways then into coins along the shorter side for speedier cooking.

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 450 while chopping the carrots. Place chopped carrots on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil and a pinch of salt over. Toss to combine. Place baking sheet in oven and cook until carrots are soft and a little caramelized on the outside (about 30 minutes). During cooking, stir carrots every 10 minutes or so.
• While carrots are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add curry powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add can of coconut milk and vegetable broth to pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add red lentils and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until lentils are soft, about 10 minutes.
• Add carrots to soup and cook until everything is soft. Blend using an immersion blender or puree soup in batches in a blender. Return to pot and add apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cilantro garnish, if desired.

Did you try this recipe? Have any other favorite cold-weather recipes that you love? Share your recipes and your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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