It’s been a rough couple of weeks chez Katie….clearly not in the way of good friends and a fun happy hour, but in the way of new recipes. The new recipes I’ve been making haven’t turned out badly per se, but let’s just say they’re not “blog material.” I’m going to have to revisit them to perfect them….not that I’m a perfectionist at all or anything :) Instead of remaking:
The molasses oat bread that I accidentally baked while it was rising, the gluten-free chickpea fritters that fell apart, the too-tangy cream of mushroom soup, and the way too easy *read: semi-homemade* (thanks Sandra Lee) caramel cheesecake bars…
I’ve been enjoying life in the city and many firsts. First Galentine’s Day brunch with the gals (where I did remake this delicious Baked Coffee Cake French Toast :) first rally, and first time at the DC zoo!!!
So I’m pulling out a recipe that I made a couple of weeks ago for just such a blog occasion. It was Roasted Carrot Soup with Chickpeas and Tahini – bursting with flavor and wonderfully healthy. Roast the carrots with onions and garlic to intensify their flavors. Blend that into a soup with spices and broth, and add a dollop of tahini lemon sauce and a few roasted chickpeas on top to make it interesting!
I got the idea from Smitten Kitchen! Here’s what I did:
Roasted Carrot Soup with Chickpeas & Tahini
Prepare the veggies and toss in the oil and seasonings:
-2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 in. pieces
-1 white onion, chopped into 1 in. pieces
-6 cloves of garlic, skins off (using a wide kitchen knife, smash the clove to easily remove the skins.)
-2 Tbs. olive oil
-Salt and pepper
Roast them in a pan or cookie sheet with edges at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, tossing them once in the middle of the cook time.
When the carrots and onions are tender, transfer them to your soup pot. Add:
-1 1/2 tsp. cumin
-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
-5 cups of vegetable broth
Stir and then blend the soup (either using an immersion blender or by transferring the soup to a blender). Let the soup simmer on low so that the flavors marry :)
On the same roasting sheet you used before, we’re going to roast the chickpeas. Drain and pat dry:
-1 1/2 cans chickpeas
Drizzle and sprinkle:
-1 Tbs. olive oil
-Salt and pepper
-1 tsp. cumin
-1 tsp. garlic powder
Roast the chickpeas in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, until they’re slightly golden brown. Then remove them from the oven, and let them cool.
To assemble the tahini sauce, stir together:
-3 Tbs. tahini paste
-2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
-2 Tbs. water
-Pinch of salt
Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle some of the tahini sauce, and top with several roasted chickpeas. Enjoy!
French phrase for fun:
Je faisais beaucoup de choses nouvelles récemment.
I have been doing lots of new things lately.
the little artichoke 