Carrot Ginger Soup

The Gourmandise School   of Sweets and Savories     A carrot gingerly approaches the spoon. God I love carrots.  Makes great cake. Lovely soup.  A nice crunchy snack. Grated, adds some texture to salads. Roasted and smashed with some shallots and olive oil, add a bit of tarragon...Mmmm.  Like most of our produce, we pick them up (and save a bundle) at farmers markets.   When purchasing carrots, be sure to keep the greens if possible.  The stems keep the carrots from drying out and make a great addition to juices and pesto (same goes for beet greens, which can be sauteed as you would chard or collard greens).  Purchasing these in large bunches from the farmers market will save you money, and they won't have those terribly dry cracks you're used to seeing from the thicker carrots found in 5 lb. supermarket bags.  The fresher they are the sweeter they taste. This recipe is from our Raw/Vegan instructor Kirsten Gum, who stops in to teach series of classes when she's not touring the country doing the same.  The texture of this soup is sublime, and the nutrients stay perfectly intact.  If you're interested in the learning the basics and science of Raw foods, Kirsten's Intro to Raw class is taking place on Sept. 27, followed by Raw Mexican that evening. Carrot Ginger Soup 3 cups carrot juice 1 small ripe avocado 1/2 cup coconut meat 1/4 cup lime juice 2 Tbsp agave nectar 2 drops of ginger oil (or 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger) 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/4 tsp sea salt 2 Tbsp avocado-lime oil for garnish few sprigs of cilantro, mint or basil for garnish 1) Place all ingredients except avocado in a high-speed blender and mix until completely smooth. 2) Add the avocado and puree just until incorporated and the mixture is your desired consistency 3) Garnish with your favorite herb and nut. 4) Will keep in a sealed glass container for up to 5 days. Note there may be some color change as the avocado will oxidize over time.   Have a delicious day! Clémence and Hadley