Carrot Cake Soup

I've already posted recipes for low-sugar carrot cake, carrot cake pancakes, and now carrot cake soup.  What can I say--carrots and pineapple are in abundance in our house? This recipe may sound improbable, but it truly is tasty, and it was a blessedly simple meal solution for lunch today. Sauces and soups are the best way to get Sawyer to eat his veggies, but a new soup usually still meets with some suspicion. I admit, I can see how a pureed mush of vegetables would look unappealing to a toddler.  I certainly remember as a young girl wanting to put my head down in despair when vegetable soup night rolled around. However, my kids are already much more easily persuaded than I was as a child when it comes to food, as they usually bravely eat their soup with minimal dramatics once I get them to try a bite. This soup was actually deemed "yummy" by Sawyer, which is high praise indeed.  I certainly enjoyed it; I know I've made something good when I finish my meal, and I'm already looking forward to eating the leftovers tomorrow.  This is a small recipe, as I was unsure how it would turn out--it makes two large or three smaller servings.



3 large carrots, scrubbed and chopped into large chunks
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 1/2 c. oat milk, or other non-dairy milk
1/2 c. light coconut milk (You would only need 1/4 c. if using regular, full-fat milk.)
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 c. canned pineapple chunks
2 Tbsp. pumpkin seed butter or tahini
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
dash of nutmeg
1 tsp. maple syrup

Combine all of the ingredients in large pot and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the carrots are super-tender and melty. Let the mixture cool a bit, and then transfer to a blender and puree. Taste if additional salt is necessary, and then enjoy with some crusty bread and a green salad.

This is a good meal for when you know you are going to need lunch in a hurry. Just prep it before you leave the house, then let it warm in the crock-pot until you get home for lunch. As you can see, the kids are sure cute before they go to church, but by the time we get home, they are "hangry" and want lunch pronto, so I have to plan ahead.