Carrot Ginger Soup

Recently I've been on a major soup kick. I can blame it on the cold weather, but frankly it's been nice to make something that's easy to digest and give my body a little bit of a break. As you can probably tell I eat a pretty healthy diet, but I've had a million things going on lately and with a busy work and social calendar comes lots of eating and drinking. 

Since I already tackled Pumpkin Soup, I figured why not try another of my longstanding favorites: carrot ginger soup. 

Tackle it I did. This was delicious, healthy and packed with vitamin A and hints of ginger and cinnamon.

And as is my goal here on Gluten Free For All, it required fairly little effort. Once I chopped up the onions, carrots and ginger, I basically let it simmer for 45 minutes while reading a very intelligent book. Okay, let's face it, I was watching ABC's Scandal, to which I am now addicted.

The result? A week's worth of fabulous smelling (and tasting) soup that I brought to work for lunch every day last week.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Servings: 5
Total cook time: 45 minutes (prep time: 15 minutes, cook time: 30 minutes)

Ingredients:

1 pound carrots, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup butternut squash, cubed
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add carrots, butternut squash and ginger. Pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes or until carrots and butternut squash are tender. 

Transfer mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Add in cream, cinnamon, and salt and pepper to taste. 

Roasted Vegetables with Rosemary

Roasted vegetables are a staple of my diet, particularly in cooler weather. They're so easy to make and so satisfying to eat. The great thing about roasted vegetables is that you can work with whatever is in season. As long as you have olive oil, salt and pepper, and an oven, you're good to go.

After last weekend all I wanted to eat was a big plate of vegetables. I went to Whole Foods and slowly made my way through the produce section, picking the best looking vegetables from local farmers. By the time I made it to the checkout counter, my grocery basket was full of carrots, zucchini, red onions, sweet potatoes, and heirloom cherry tomatoes. I'm kicking myself for not taking a picture before I chopped everything up and threw it in the oven. But can you blame a girl? I was starving.

I decided to make enough so that I could bring the leftovers for lunch the rest of the week, which worked out perfectly. I'm a huge fan of incorporating leftovers into lunch. It makes life a lot easier.

This recipe, although the ingredients may vary depending on what's available at Whole Foods or the farmers market, will be my go-to this fall and winter. Whether as a main course, a side dish, or in a salad, roasted vegetables are so flavorful and full of nutrients. You really can't go wrong.

I tossed in some quinoa at the last minute to add some protein and additional texture. I'm a huge fan of roasted chicken, but didn't have enough time or energy to make it this time around. Keep your eyes out for a roasted chicken recipe in the coming weeks.

Roasted Vegetables with Rosemary

Ingredients:

2 large carrots
1 medium sweet potato
1/2 large red onion
1 large zucchini
1 1/2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 400º.

Chop all of the vegetables,  except for the tomatoes, transfer to a large pan, and drizzle with olive oil. Toss in the rosemary and make sure all of the vegetables are lightly covered with olive oil. 

Transfer the tomatoes into a small pan and drizzle with olive oil. They need to be cooked separately because they release a lot of water, and you don't want that mixing in with the other vegetables.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, or until tender and golden. Drain the water from the tomatoes and mix together in one pan. Serve hot.