The SOW: Blend In Thai Carrot Soup

I do not typically blend in.

1. I have a huge head as a result of my huge hair. So much hair. Every hair stylist says, “You have SO much hair.” Oh, really? Thanks for that little tidbit.
2. Back in the day, my dad drove a purple minivan and picked me up from dance class. If you aren’t from a typical suburb, you might not know how out of the ordinary this is. But trust me. It is.
3. In elementary school, my teachers said I was great student, “but I talked too much,” and “didn’t raise my hand.”
4. I tend to dislike rules. See #3.
5. I have tattoos in places that can’t be covered unless I wear a snowsuit or one of those pajamas suit thingies with feet. Footies?
6. I hate footies.
7. I hate napping. So much so that I refused to do it in pre-school and kindergarten.
8. Kindergarten was a place where we called our teachers by their first names.
9. When it comes to titles or name etiquette, I usually mess up (or don’t care). See #8.
10. I believe women have first names. Forget Mr. and Mrs. Soon-to-be-J.D. It’s Mr. Soon-to-be-J.D. and Ms. Quick Cook Rice to you. See #8.
11. I may or may not talk to my Louis Pug like he’s a person.
12. Louis Pug is a dog. In case that wasn’t clear.
13. If you go out to dinner with me, I will inevitably have to ask about vegan dishes, and when the waiter gets that glazed expression, I will have go down the “no egg, no dairy, no chicken/beef stock, no butter” questionnaire.

I do typically make blended soups.

Next week that’ll change, but for now there’s this (partially inspired by this):

Blend In Thai Carrot Soup

(vegan, serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 T coconut oil (can sub olive oil if you’d like)
• 1 medium onion, minced (about 1/3 of a cup)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped (chop off the top part and just use the bottom)
• 1 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 bunch of carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped (try to get a bunch with the green stem still attached, or use 6-7 carrots)
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1/2 t cardamom
• 1 T cumin
• 4 cups veggie stock
• Juice of 1 orange
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (either low fat or regular)
• 3 T almond butter

1. Heat oil on medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onion and cook until transculent.

2.  Add garlic, ginger, lemongrass, cumin, nutmeg, and cardamom. Stir for 1 minute.

3. Add carrots and veggie stock. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer for 25 minutes.

4. Turn off heat and add orange juice, lime juice, coconut milk, and almond butter. Stir to combine.

5. Transfer soup to a blender and blend until combined (or use an immersion blender).  If using a blender, transfer back to pot or serve right from blender.

Feel free to eat and slurp whilst wearing your footie PJs.

I won’t be. But I’m cool with it.