Doin' Some Cookin'... Bunny Brew

My absolute favorite juices are ones that include beets or carrots. One thing I love about juicing carrots is that it brings out their sweetness. After a trip to Costco I had a ginormous bag of baby carrots that needed to be used so juicing them was the perfect idea.

In this Bunny Brew I juiced carrots with lemon, mint, and pineapple. The pineapple and mint are said to be good for inflammation and digestion. This juice is not overly sweet and it's something I could drink every day. It's so good.

Bunny Brew

From: Juicing Recipes on Instagram

Makes 1 Serving

Stars of the Show:

• 7 carrots
• 1 lemon, peeled and seeded
• 7 mint leaves
• 1 cup pineapple chunks

And Action:

Run all ingredients through a juicer and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Carrot Ginger Soup

I strive to lead a healthier lifestyle with cleaner and healthier eating. Sometimes I slip up, like today, when a coworker surprised me with a Philly cheesesteak sandwich with fries but I only ate half of the sandwich though. Small victories.

After a long day at work and dealing with a rowdy little boy it takes everything I've got left in me to get dinner on the table most nights. That's not going to happen without planning the menu the night before and worst case there's always Plan B... sandwiches... which as a working mom happens more than I'd like. But it's not just dinner either, there is breakfast, lunch, and snacks, it's all very exhausting.

Onto the soup...

Sweet carrots are cooked down, mixed with spicy ginger, and has a velvety texture. This is mostly veggies so it's super healthy, can be made ahead of time, and freezes well. Serve with a side of buttery crusty bread. Next time I would garnish with toasted sesame seeds, toasted pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds for some crunch.

While you're waiting for the soup to simmer this is the perfect opportunity for some family time. I've been trying to teach Little Man how to play some card games I learned as a kid.

Also... the change in weather has everyone in our office at work sick and I've caught the cold bug. Thank goodness this makes a large batch and I think this may help to bring me back to health.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Adapted From: Fashionably Employed

Makes about 6 cups

Stars of the Show:

• 2 bags of shredded carrots
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 4 roasted garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 4 cups low sodium veggie broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil

And Action:

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add carrots and onion powder. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stir frequently.

Add 2 cups of veggie broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer until carrots are soft, about 30-45 minutes. 

Pulse the mixture in a food processor adding the additional 2 cups of veggie broth until smooth. Enjoy!

Doin' Some Cookin'... Carrot Soup with Ginger & Thyme

This soup is thick, comforting, and creamy tasting without the added fat of cream. This recipe couldn't be easier to make, it's healthy, and fairly inexpensive. I'm always on board with this and especially like that it makes a large enough batch for leftovers to take to work for lunch. 

Carrot and ginger are the perfect pair. They were made for each other. The ginger in this soup gives it a nice little kick. 

The only thing I would do differently next time is to roast the carrots instead of just boiling them and maybe adding a sweet potato with it. I can only imagine how much more delicious this soup would be. Don't get me wrong, it's great just the way it is.

Ease into Spring while the cooler temps are sticking around by making this soup to ring in the vernal equinox and know the promise of more daylight hours is upon us. Yay!

Carrot Soup with Ginger & Thyme

Adapted From: Every Day with Rachael Ray

Makes 4 Servings

Stars of the Show:

• 6 cups low sodium veggie broth
• 1 1/2 lb baby carrots
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• olive oil, for drizzling
• dried ground thyme, to taste

And Action:

Add veggie broth, carrots, shallots, and ginger into a saucepan; simmer 20 minutes until carrots are tender. Puree in batches in a food processor. Drizzle with olive oil and season with thyme to taste. Enjoy!