Procrastination and Carrot Soup

So I'm sitting here, getting ready to write the blog, and I start pulling up inspirational Google images for desktop backgrounds. Things like this.


Yep... Time to start writing.

One problem with blogging about food is that if you don't know how to take really good pictures of it, it has a tendency to just look like an unappetizing blob of goo, regardless of how good it may look in person. You could have made a national award-winning chocolate mousse, but without amazing photography skills, it will still look like poop in a cup unless you do it right.

The other option, of course, is to not take a picture of it. I know - what kind of madness do I speak, to have no pictures on a food blog? Well, fine. I didn't get any pictures of this delectable soup before it disappeared, but I can show you the remnants in the bottom of the slow cooker.


Not exactly tasty-looking. But it was incredible. I'd never had carrot soup before - let alone made it - and I was amazed at how delicious and filling it was. I have no reason to lie to you - I could make more of this tomorrow and be equally happy with it. And maybe more the next day. And the one after that.

My inspiration for this carrot soup came from three places: 1) A Moosewood Cookbook recipe posted here; 2) the book Love Soup by Anna Thomas, featuring delicious vegetarian concoctions; and 3) The Simple Little Vegan Slow Cooker by Michelle Rivera, a book I mentioned once upon a time. The first is the one I followed most closely; the others provided additional ideas and helped me turn an intense dinner 3 to 4 hours in the making into a forget-about-it crock pot meal.

The best part is, all you have to do for it is chop up some veggies. (But this is great with baking powder biscuits, too.) One of the  Love Soup recipes had a citrus component - give that a try if you want a vegan soup. Instead of the yogurt, add the zest and juice of a whole orange along with all the other ingredients. Also try using fresh ginger, or replacing half a pound of carrots with parsnips.

Carrot Soup

2 lbs carrots, sliced
1 medium sweet potato, chopped
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 c.)
3-4 Tbsp butter, sliced (or margarine)
1-2 cloves crushed garlic (or 1 tsp. powdered)
4 c. vegetable stock
2 tsp. whole cumin, crushed
1 tsp ground ginger
Dash of salt
1/3 c. vanilla yogurt

Add all but the yogurt to the slow cooker. Cook on low 8 to 9 hours. Just before serving, puree about 2/3 of the solids in a food processor with the yogurt until you have a tasty-looking mush. Mix the mush back in with the rest of the soup and allow to reheat if necessary, though it should still be warm enough to serve immediately. 

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