Soups are a beautifully simple and effective way to nourish ourselves, particularly during the cooler months. One of my favorite recipes is this wonderfully warming Lemon and Spice Carrot Soup by Australian wholefood Chef, Angie Cowen. I make this recipe across Winter and love it for so many reasons!
Firstly, the carrot base gives this soup a lightness in contrast to heartier winter soups that use pumpkin or potatoes, yet it still feels substantial.
Carrots, like potatoes, pumpkin, and other root vegetable, nourish the Spleen in Chinese Medicine supporting digestion, fluid metabolism and our muscles and flesh.
Combining cumin seeds, mild cayenne pepper and fresh ginger provides warmth to the soup. These spices have been used throughout traditional medicines for their individual abilities to support, stimulate, or remedy digestion. Ginger and Cayenne Pepper have also traditionally been used for various circulatory issues and can help to warm the body and extremities.
(Noting this, from a Chinese medicine perspective, the hot nature of Cayenne Pepper can be too much if you have a Yin Deficiency. If you experience night sweats, afternoon fever, or dry mouth try reducing the amount of mild cayenne pepper you add to your soup.)
With all these warm spices, the addition of lemon juice and zest adds just the right amount of freshness to balance out the flavors. Lastly, this soup is quick to throw together with only 20 mins of cooking time, making it a great weeknight option!
Hope you enjoy! Kate xx
lemon & spice carrot soup –
serves 3-4
- 550g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon ghee or extra virgin coconut oil for cooking
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon mild cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 750ml filtered water
- ½ cup coconut cream
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Himalayan or Celtic Sea salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Olive oil for serving
- Fresh oregano or other soft herb for serving
METHOD
Fry onion in ghee or coconut oil in saucepan on medium heat for a couple of minutes. Toss in cumin seeds and cayenne pepper and fry for another minute.
Add carrot, garlic, ginger, lemon zest, coconut cream, pepper, water and a good pinch of salt and cover with a lid.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and allow to simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until carrots are soft.
Mix until very smooth using a stick blender. Add lemon juice and if needed, season further with salt and pepper.
Pour into bowls, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with fresh oregano.
sources
Love Life & Gluten Free, Angie Cowen. https://www.lovelifeandglutenfree.com/
Mount Sinai, (2023, May 30). Cayenne, https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/cayenne
Shahrajabian, M., Sun, W., & Cheng, Q. (2019) Clinical aspects and health benefits of ginger in both traditional Chinese medicine and modern industry. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B- Soil & Plant Science, 69(6), 546-556, DOI: 10.1080/09064710.2019.1606930
Fatima, T., Beenish, Naseer, B., Gani, G., Qadri, T., & Bhat, T. (2018). Antioxidant potential and health benefits of cumin. Journal of Medicinal Plant Studies, 6(2), 232-236. https://www.plantsjournal.com/archives/2018/vol6issue2/PartD/6-2-28-858.pdf
Wu, Q., & Liang, X. (2018) Food therapy and medical diet therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Clinical Nutrition Experimental, 18, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yclnex.2018.01.001
