Meat-free Monday: Roasted carrot, ginger and honey soup

Welcome to Meat-free Monday, where we celebrate the art of nourishing ourselves with delicious plant-based creations. Today, we’re diving into a comforting bowl of Roasted Carrot, Ginger, and Honey Soup. Recipe compliments of Goldcrest.

Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1kg carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 Tbsp Goldcrest Lemon & Ginger Infused Honey
• 400ml coconut milk
• 1250ml vegetable stock
• Coconut yoghurt, thinned out with a little water, for serving
• 4 Tbsp mixed nuts and seeds, for serving
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200˚C fan on.
2. Place rack on upper third of the oven.
3. Place carrots on a large baking tray in a single layer.
4. Drizzle with olive oil and season with cumin, salt and pepper. Toss to coat well.
5. Roast for 15-20 minutes until deeply golden brown and the carrots begin getting little charred spots.
6. In a large pot or saucepan heat a drizzle of olive oil.
7. Add the onion and cook until very tender.
8. Add the garlic, ginger and thyme. Cook until fragrant.
9. Add the roasted carrots to the pot.
10. Drizzle in the Goldcrest Lemon & Ginger Infused Honey.
11. Pour in the coconut milk and stock.
12. Simmer everything together until the carrots are very tender and will blend smoothly.
13. Switch off the heat and remove the thyme sprigs from the soup.
14. Using a stick blender, blend the mixture until smooth.
15. Taste to adjust seasoning.
16. Just before serving, toast the nuts and seeds in a dry pan on medium heat.
17. Keep moving and tossing them around the pan every so often until golden. Nuts and seeds burn very easily so don’t walk away when doing this step.
18. Ladle the soup into warm bowls.
19. Drizzle over a little coconut yoghurt and finish with a sprinkle of toasted nuts and seeds.