I made this carrot soup, for the first time while shooting for the Lady Carrot and Carrot salad posts and we had way too much carrots in da house. But I actually quite like it, so now its one of my fav EasyPeasy recipes. Healthy & light lunch made from 2 simple ingredients – carrot & onion.

It’s a great light starter during summer or winter, and it may feed meat lovers and vegetarians too. Main ingredients are still the same, although you will need a bit more advance equipment this time – the Blender Almighty. Otherwise you will have to spend a bit more time on the chopping and mashing with an old-school potato masher…

Cost: £10 / Prep/cook time: 30/60min / Serves: 2 / Total calories: 170

Ready:
7 Carrots
1 Onion
2 Chicken bouillon cubes
(I use OXO, no salt needed with these) A healthy alternative would be a fresh broth.
OR: Use herbs & spices or a vegetable broth for vegetarian version.
Extras: ham & spring onion / bacon & garlic / chilli pepper

Steady:
Peeler, knife, cutting board, medium pot with the lid, wooden spoon, frying pan, blender (masher tool), ladle, bowl, spoon

Go:
Boil 1500ml of water (regular tea cup is around 300ml). Peel carrots and onion. Cut carrots into the coins. Simply slice off round coins from the carrot by cutting it crosswise and place them into the boiling water, add spices & herbs or bouillon. Size and age of your vegetables will directly affect the cooking time, so the smaller the better in this case (YES, Size does matter people!). Cut onion in half and add it in. Cook & stir over the medium heat. To prevent water evaporation use a lid (half-open so it doesn’t boil over). A cooking time may vary as previously mentioned 20-50min – Carrot and onion should be nice & soft – ready to blend together or being smashed with your hardcore old-school masher tool :)

Fast & vegetarian

Use vegetable broth or soup for more flavour. You can always make it a bit more interesting by adding some fried onion on top. EasyPeasy, you are ready to serve nice & hot.

Ham & spring onion

Add 2 Chicken bouillon cubes into soup together with onion and carrots. Taste before you add salt, some bouillons are a bit too salty. While the soup is cooking, no need to hypnotize it. Be useful! Cut some ham into a nice squares, wash and cut 3 crispy spring onion shoots. Now you can add some taste and calories to that light & creamy soup of yours. YumYum!

Fried bacon & garlic

If you are fanatic about everything being fresh & home-made use a broth instead of cubes. You will have to spend a bit more time & money on cooking or you can buy some pre-made broth and use it as a base of your soup instead of water. Don’t go lie down, don’t call your mum or run out for a quick fag, while its cooking! You really don’t want to clean that over boiled carrot’s mess :) Be useful! Cut some bacon & garlic. Fry them on medium heat until the bacon is nice and crispy (no need for oil). Now you can add even more taste and calories to the carrot soup. Enjoy!

Serving options:
Best served warm as a starter or light dinner. More flavour can be added with some fried onion, bacon & garlic or fresh spring onion & ham. For spice lovers simply add one chilli pepper during cooking.

For calorie-counters:

• Fried onion = 160kcal
• Ham & Spring onion = 240kcal
• Bacon & Garlic = 500kcal

Try, enjoy & let me know how was it! Thanks for reading xxx