Coconut Carrot Soup
I love carrots and anything made with carrots! This sweet root vegetable is loaded with flavor and is surely a super food. We all know that carrots are rich in vitamin A and converts to beta carotene which is necessary for healthy eyes but the health benefits of carrots reach far beyond the eyes.
Beta carotene not only protects the eyes but works to prevent aging on a cellular level. It acts as an antioxidant to protect the skin from wrinkles, sun damage, acne and uneven skin pigmentation.
Carrots are also known to protect against cancers of the lungs, breast and colon. A compound called falcarinol is a natural pesticide which protects its roots from fungus. This is the compound in carrots which was found to reduce the risk of cancer by 30% in laboratory studies on mice. You can only find falcarinol in carrots so eat up!
Studies also show that diets high in carotenoids reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and assist in cleansing the liver.
With all that good news about carrots, I wanted to look at some ways to incorporate them into a clean eating plan. Since soup is such a great addition to a meal to help you with your weight loss, it was only natural that I looked for a soup recipe. This soup was adapted from a recipe I found and I just cleaned it up a bit and made a few changes to make it simple, lower in calories and sodium. It came out great and I hope you enjoy it!
Coconut Carrot Soup
1 T coconut oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 cups baby carrots
32 oz Kitchen Basics Unsalted Vegetable Stock
1 cup unsweetened Soy Delicious Coconut Milk
1 1/2 T Ginger root spice (from a tube or make it fresh)
1 T curry powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you want it a bit spicier but this gives a nice little kick)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1. Heat oil in stock pan over medium heat.
2. Add onion and stir fry for about 5 minutes or until they become translucent.
3. Add carrots and 1/4 tsp sea salt. Continue to cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add broth, coconut milk, ginger, curry and chili flakes. Cover and cook until carrots are soft, about 15 minutes.
5. Pour soup in blender and mix until smooth.
Makes 9 cups. Per cup:
Calories: 49
Fat: 1 g
Sodium: 178 mg
Carbs: 8 g
Protein: 2 g
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