The weather in St. Louis has been unpredictable lately. A few weeks ago it felt like it was approaching winter territory, and then this past weekend it felt like an early spring.

I’m not complaining because I’d much rather have it be warm than cold. But my body is still responding to the fact that it’s December so I’m craving soup.

Cue: This carrot turmeric coconut soup. I saw the recipe a few weeks ago when I was looking for something warming. Also, it seemed like the entire food blog universe was making carrot soup so recipes were EVERYWHERE.

I used a recipe I found as a guide and improvised a little. The original recipe was paleo but I don’t follow that diet, so I made a few changes. It also didn’t call for anything to be cooked, which I thought was weird. I cooked the soup in a pot before pouring it into a blender to make it smoother.

My favorite part of this recipe is actually what goes on top. I made some salted, maple-glazed coconut and almonds for topping and now I want to put them on everything. They’re sweet, crunchy, and slightly smoky. The sweet and salty flavors go well with the turmeric and lemongrass in the soup.

I also liked putting pomegranate seeds and scallions on top. The pomegranates add an extra burst of sweetness and the scallions add some crunch.

Here’s a song I’m jamming out to this morning. It’s Monday so it was extra hard for me to get out of bed. This song came on during my drive to work. It always makes me think of faraway places.

Carrot Turmeric Coconut Soup

Ingredients

for the maple-glazed nuts:
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup sliced almonds
pinch Maldon salt flakes

for the soup:
2 Tbsp coconut oil
12 oz carrots, peeled, well-cleaned, and cut into 1″ pieces
2 Tbsp tahini
1 can reduced-fat coconut milk
1″ piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1″ piece fresh lemongrass, peeled
1 Tbsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup veggie broth
juice of 1 lime
1/2 bunch scallions, finely chopped
pomegranate arils for topping

Directions

First, make the maple-glazed nuts. Head the maple syrup in a saucepan over medium high heat until it starts bubbling. Stir continually for about 30 seconds then stir in the coconut and almonds. Make sure every piece is coated and then spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle on a generous pinch of Maldon salt. Set aside to cool.

To make the soup, heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the red onions. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the carrots and garlic and cook for a couple minutes. Then add the ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and salt and stir to coat the carrots. Cook for a couple minutes and then add the tahini, lemongrass, coconut milk, tahini, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine and then turn the heat up to high. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for a few minutes or until the carrots have softened a little.

Fish out the lemongrass and discard. Pour mixture into a high-powered blender and purée until smooth. Add the lime juice to the blender and pulse once or twice.

Pour some of the soup into a bowl and top with scallions, pomegranate arils, and some of your glazed nuts. Enjoy!