Carrot Ginger Feel Good Soup

By: Elizabeth Beals

  This soup has completely replaced eating chicken noodle soup when I don't feel well. As a kid I loved the soup in the red can, you know the one. I can still almost smell it, and see the tiny squares of what I was told to believe is chicken in it. As an adult I understand that it wasn't really the soup that was making me feel good. It was the ritual of my mom bringing me something warm, and her taking care of me. There wasn't too much in the actual red can that was helping me to get better.
  This Carrot Ginger Feel Good Soup will actually help make you feel better. As a sufferer of endometriosis I am often faced with overwhelming nausea. Whether it's the common cold, or the occasional upset tummy, eating ginger plays a great role in fighting nausea. You can find it in many different forms, hot tea, homemade ginger ale, soups, and other dishes. I find that when I don't feel well a nice warm soup usually will do the trick, there's even fresh orange juice to give you a little vitamin C. To make this soup, it helps to have a nice blender, but your dorm room special will work too. The ingredients come together pretty quickly and it doesn't take too long to cook. The last place you want to be when you are sick is in the kitchen. I hope this soup finds you well or helps you get well. Enjoy, and be healthy.

Ingredients:

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups carrot, chopped

2 cups potato, chopped

1 heaping tablespoon, fresh ginger, grated

1 whole garlic clove, separated but unpeeled and tied in cheese cloth

4 cups veggie broth

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (1 orange)

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1/2 cups raw almonds

salt and pepper to taste

Tools or special equipment:

cheese cloth
micro plane (for grating ginger)

medium sauce pan

blender

ladle 

Preparation and procedures:

1. Place all ingredients, except maple syrup, almonds, salt, and pepper in a medium sauce pan. 
2. Cover and bring to a boil, then set timer for 20 minutes. Lower heat to simmer.
3. After cooking for 20 minutes turn off heat. Throw away the cheese cloth bag with garlic in it.
4. Ladle the soup into the blender with the almonds, maple syrup salt and pepper. You may have to do this step in two batches, if needed. Blend soup until very smooth.
5. Pour blended soup back in sauce pan, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Eat while hot!

This recipe will give you a little more than 6 cups and it freezes very nicely. A great gift for a loved one that isn't well.