So yummy, so easy & so nourishing & immunity boosting for your autumnal body. From our kitchen to yours.
Once I surrender to the unfolding of autumn…I am much, much more likely to spend time happily puttering in the kitchen getting reacquainted with spices and slow cooking and making SOUP.
Here’s a failsafe autumnal soup with root veggies & spices + a really delicious pesto to accompany it.
It’s super easy, vegan, immunity boosting & deeply nourishing for our autumnal bodies.
I’ve included my original recipe plus notes on how I adapt the soup depending on what is at hand & how lazy a mood I am in. I love forgiving, adaptable recipes like this, that can be tweaked & played with and still provide so much goodness.
I hope you like it!
Let me know how you get on in the comments.
Love from my kitchen,
Meredith x
Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup
with coriander and cashew nut pesto
Immunity boosting credentials:
> carrots and sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene
> ginger and garlic are antibacterial and antiviral
> chili is great for warming and stimulating
The zingy pesto keeps it interesting and fresh herbs stimulates your mind and are allegedly great for memory – I usually double the pesto so I have leftovers for the fridge.
Serves 6 / Prep 15 min / Cook 30min
Ingredients:
2tbsp olive oil
I never measure this just cover the bottom of the pot, often substitute rapeseed oil or ghee as better nutritionally.
6 carrots, peeled and diced
I never peel them.
2 med-large sweet potatoes peeled and diced
1 lg onion, diced
1 red chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
If you like chili, I have used up to 2 or 3 for a more spicy soup, you can also put some chopped chili aside & put it on the top of the soup when serving
3 lg cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
I roast a lot of garlic in the autumn/winder and often have it on hand so would use that if so
2.5cm fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated
I probably use more than this, like 2 inches
1l of veg stock, OK to add more
2 tbsp of fresh coriander
I always include the stalks because I like the taste
Pesto:
75g fresh coriander, stems and leaves
I have used many other combos of herbs, like basil, thai basil, anything leafy and it always turns out great
25g parsley, leaves only
1/4 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped
sometimes more especially if someone in the house has cold coming on
1 stick of lemongrass, outer stalk removed, finely chopped
SO nice to add, but I almost never add this because I forget to buy it so don’t let it stop you if you don’t have lemongrass
1 lg clove of garlic, peeled finely chopped
again I would sub roasted if I had it but then the raw garlic has a great kick and is SO beneficial to immunity
1 tbsp chopped cashed nuts
I probably add more than that
juice of 1/2 lime
100ml olive oil
I never measure it, just glug it in, mix and add to get a consistency I like
pinch of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Method:
1. Heat the olive oil (or rapeseed oil or ghee) in lg saucepan. Add carrot, sweet potato, onion, chili, garlic, ginger and season with good pinch of S&P. Sweat the veggies on a low heat until a bit tender then add stock and bring to a boil. Cook until veggies are totally tender – I usually give that about 20 mins. I often add some cinnamon to the cooking veggies, another immunity booster & a well known mood booster
2. While the veggies are cooking, make the pesto by whizzing all the ingredient together. I always make extra and eat a bit while cooking
3. Add the fresh coriander to the soup and whizz it up, then pour into bowls and drizzle each bowl with about a teaspoon of the pesto.
My serving suggestions:
Can defo just have the soup + pesto but here are a few things I do with it to make a more substantial meal or feed friends…
> Nice sourdough goes great or oatcakes, pita
> Goats cheese or feta or even a round of fresh mozzarella either on the bread, sometimes warmed in the oven or I pop the cheese on top of the soup (obvs cheese makes it not vegan).
> A drizzle of olive oil or rapeseed oil on top of the pesto looks nice & is good for you. I’ll put left over chili in a bottle with olive oil to drizzle as an option for people to make it hotter.
> Thin shavings or grated parmesean or pecorino cheese on top of soup is a winner too ~ sometimes I add these cheeses to the pesto as well
ENJOY!
Let me know how you get on in the comments and any crafty substitutions you come up with 😉
For more tips on feeling great in autumn:
I have a blog on Autumnal Wellbeing ~ Ayurveda Style. Practical tips from the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, the worlds oldest science of holistic health on how to feel great during autumn. Read it HERE.
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