Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

It’s one of those Saturdays when I’m home alone, well technically not alone if you count Ruby, our golden retriever and Sooki our cat. But anyway, my caveman has gone to help our oldest son doing some work on the house he’s building and after going into town to post a couple of parcels I returned home frozen, rock solid. Ok it’s a slight exaggeration but nevertheless, feeling cold to the core. I’m sitting next to my heater wondering what to do for lunch.

So I go and investigate the refrigerator, hmmm what do I feel like? And then I see it, sweet potato. I had roasted an extra one the other night and had stashed it in the refrigerator. The original plans for my extra sweet potato was for it to be turned into porridge for breakfast but nope, I’m having it for lunch and what I’m really wanting for lunch is soup.

So I plonk myself on my chair next to the heater and get sidetracked. I flick through some papers that need sorting and come across a hospitality magazine talking about hemp seeds. Now what does hemp seeds have to do with my sweet potato soup? Nothing, except that I had an idea. Not for lunch, but for dinner. So here I am back in the kitchen Googling Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese 7 spice) and I decided to create my own version of this spice blend.

There is nothing more satisfying than making up spice blends or for that fact making up any recipe. Now this is where it gets interesting, well to me anyway. I make up the spice blend and boy it’s got a kick to it, but it smells totally amazing so this is where my inspiration came from…… the smell of the spice mix.

So now I am going to give my sweet potato soup a bit of a Japanese influence. So I fry up grated carrots, add in the sweet potato, water, orange juice and make the soup. Nothing special, But this is where the magic happens.

I want to use the seven spice on top but not on its own, so for sweetness I add coconut aminos and for a flavour kick some sesame oil and then the seven spice. I drizzled this over my soup and added a sprinkle of sesame seeds and WOW, it’s just perfect.

So I take a couple of photos, post it on Instagram, sit down and start eating. I can’t keep this to myself. It’s too nice. It’s quick and easy, even the kids can make it, yours not mine ( mine are grown up and don’t live home). But I’m thinking ahead. I’ll have to teach Lexi my granddaughter….. when she is old enough. Ok, Stop! I’m getting a bit ahead of myself. How about I share it with you? I’m sure you’d like something that’s quick and easy, healthy and delicious. A comfort food in it’s own right. Eat it hot or cold ,It doesn’t matter. It’s great all year round. Double up and freeze some.

It’s dairy free, gluten-free, grain free, nut free, egg free, contains no onion or garlic and is flavourful. Great if you are an allergy sufferer. Give it a try and let me know what you think. I’m sure you will like it.

SWEET POTATO AND CARROT SOUP

1 Sweet Potato, cooked and peeled, approximately 400 grams flesh
1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
2 Carrots, grated
3 cups water
1 medium Orange, juice only
Pinch Salt
200 ml full fat Coconut Milk
Sesame Seeds, to sprinkle on top

SESAME 7 SPICE DRIZZLE

1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Coconut Aminos
¼ – ½ teaspoon Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese 7 spice)

METHOD – Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup

Heat coconut oil over low heat. Add carrots, stir and put lid on. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add sweet potato, water, orange juice and salt and cook until starting to bubble.

Add coconut milk and puree with either a stick blender or a food processor till smooth.

Pour into bowls, drizzle over the sesame 7 spice drizzle and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

METHOD – SESAME 7 SPICE DRIZZLE

Add sesame oil, coconut aminos and 7 spice into a small bowl and stir till lump free. Drizzle over soup.

SHICHIMI TOGARASHI ( JAPANESE 7 SPICE)

1 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
2 slices dehydrated Orange, peel only
1 Sheet Nori (seaweed), torn up
2 teaspoons Ginger Powder
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1-2 tablespoon Sesame Seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon Hemp Seeds, toasted

METHOD- Japanese 7 Spice

Put the cayenne, nori, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, orange peel, pepper and ginger in the small bowl of a food processor or a spice grinder and grind till smooth and powdery.

Put spice mix in a glass jar with lid on. Use as needed.

Soup Serves 2