When Owen was a newborn, I used to take him to Bloomingdale’s in the Baby Bjorn. Our apartment in Brooklyn was right near the Q train, which runs express to 59th St. Despite what you may think, Bloomingdale’s is actually very baby-friendly. You don’t have to go outside to get from the subway into the store; the bathrooms are huge and clean, and have changing stations; and, best of all, Forty Carrots is on the 7th floor.
If you are a nursing mom, Forty Carrots should be your new favorite restaurant. Thirsty much? Here is a gallon-sized Diet Coke. Hungry? Thought so. Here is a trough of frozen yogurt with all of the toppings. (As my friend Sarah says, milk goes in, milk comes out.)
Drinks and desserts aside, my absolute favorite thing on the menu was the carrot soup. It was warm and comforting, with a faint hint of orange and just the right amount of salt. Over the past few years I’ve tried to recreate it, and while I’m happy to report that I’ve never made a bad carrot soup, I’ve never made one as good as the Forty Carrots version either.
Until now. You guys, this is it. If you’ve ever made carrot ginger soup and thought, meh, I implore you to try again with my new recipe. I swear it won’t disappoint. It tastes rich and complex, but it’s actually very light and healthy. I think it’s the perfect weeknight meal in between your (my) weekend holiday cookie binges. Just one note: do not cheat and use store-bought orange juice, or the Tropicana flavor will totally overpower everything else. This soup will last for about a week in the fridge, and the flavors get even better after a day or two, so it’s a great make ahead option.
Carrot Soup with Orange, Cinnamon, and Ginger
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion about 3/4 cup, diced
- 1 1/2 pounds carrots peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Chopped fresh mint optional, for serving
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, salt, and pepper and stir to coat. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender). Stir in the orange juice, coconut milk, and cinnamon. Serve garnished with the mint, if using.
