Root Vegetable Soup

ROOT VEGETABLE SOUP WITH SPICED WALNUTS

• 2 TB coconut oil or unsalted butter

• 2 TB extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large or medium yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

• 2 TB fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped

• sea salt

• 2 pounds (about 8 cups) assorted root vegetables, such as winter squash, rutabaga, carrots, Japanese or regular sweet potato, celery root, parsnip, turnip, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric powder

• 6 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, bone broth, or filtered water

• dash of cayenne
  

In a large pot, heat coconut oil or butter over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and 1 tsp sea salt, and stir well. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and slowly cook until the mixture is soft and juicy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Check a few times and stir. Add the root vegetables and thyme, raise heat to high, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Pour in the stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.

Use an immersion blender or, working in careful batches, a high-speed blender, and purée the soup until smooth. Put pureed soup back into the pot you cooked it in, over medium-low flame, and stir in the cup of milk, a nice pinch of sea salt, and a dash of cayenne. Taste. Add more salt or cayenne if desired. Serve hot with toasted walnuts (recipe below), a sprinkle of dried red chili flakes, and some thick slices of really good, whole grain bread.

Spiced Walnuts

I used red walnuts here because of their beauty, but you can obviously use regular English ones. I still encourage you to seek out the reds. So pretty. You can order them on-line at a bunch of places. Google that shit. These are also gorgeous for a homemade holiday gift in a glass jar too. Just double the recipe for a larger batch.

• 2 cups walnuts

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut butter

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Spread the nuts on a parchment paper-covered, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cayenne over the nuts and stir to coat evenly. Toast about 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheet. When cool, store in an airtight container in fridge.