Are you guys prepared for all of the yummy Harvest times foods coming your way?

I think this is the longest amount of time that I’ve ever help back on a post before. I actually made this about a month and a half ago on a day that I was overwhelmed with the excitement about approaching holidays and a need to make something festive. Of course, after I made it I realized it would probably be best to wait a bit before posting as it was harvest time nowhere on the planet, so it was temporarily shelved. But not because it wasn’t a star recipe, because it was too good not to get to shine in it’s optimum moment of glory. I guarantee that if you aren’t feeling in the mood for autumn yet this will do it for you.

I wasn’t sure what to call it because of all the different ingredients. Sweet potatoes and carrots are kind of in the spotlight because they give it its brilliant coloring but it also has coconut, apple, and cinnamon. I know you’re probably thinking that apple in a soup is just plain weird but you’ve gotta try it. Trust me, it works.

It works so well, actually, that this soup is border line addictive! The good news is that, for once, this is a recipe that you can feel good about going back in for seconds on because it’s full of pure nutrition. You might find it hard to believe though, while you’re savoring every delicious spoonful, because no joke, it’s like dessert in a soup form. It’s kind of in the same category as so many people’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish in the States. You know, sweet potato casserole with crumb or marshmallow topping? Yeah, that one, and somehow it’s acceptable as a dinner item. The difference is that this really is a healthy recipe that is only naturally sweet and then creamed up with healthy fats.

So one thing before you make this, I just remembered that my soup was not as orange as it should have been because I used a white variety of sweet potato so all the orange is coming from the carrots in the pics. If you’re wanting a soup that is vibrant with color just know it will be a nice bold orange if you’re using regular sweet potatoes.

This soup is so good on it’s own, especially with the addition of the oh-so-creamy coconut milk. It’s not suffering any losses by having no meat or dairy. And I can’t forget to mention the little toasties that you put on top. They’re basically the love child of french toast and croutons and they are perfect for finishing off this soup in a way that celebrates the flavors of this time of year!

Harvest Time Sweet Potato Ginger Carrot Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 - 12

Ingredients

Soup:
3 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped into cubes
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
5 medium carrots, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons coconut oil, or preferred cooking oil
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth or chicken stock if not vegan
4 1/2 cups water
1 (14oz or 400ml) can coconut milk (about 1 2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Toasties:
10 - 12 pieces of dry sandwich bread (gluten free if necessary)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Soup:
Pour oil into a large pot and add the first 6 ingredients. Place pot over medium high heat and cover, stirring very often to prevent sticking, for about 15 minutes or until carrots are tender. Turn off heat and cool for at least 10 minutes then scoop the veggies into a blender or food processor and add the water. (You will probably need to do this in batches unless you have a mega sized blender.) Blend until completely pureed and if necessary add some of the broth as well to help it blend.
Now pour mixture back into pot. Place pot over medium high heat and add remaining broth, coconut milk, salt, and spices. Bring to a low boil then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes to let the flavors meld, stirring occasionally.
Cinnamon Toasties:
While the soup simmers, make your toasties. Cut bread into small squares and add coconut oil to a medium skillet. Add squares and remaining ingredients to skillet and place over medium heat. Stir gently until all the squares are crisp and toasted.

ALL CONTENT IS MINE AND ORIGINAL! All of these food photos were taken with my Nikon D750 (Sometimes I'll pull out my old red Nikon d5300) and my favorite Lens, the Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. You can find out more in my INTRO POST.