Psychedelic Spring Soup

First off, let me just say that the juice feast is over and I feel like a million bucks. Truly. It’s like I’ve woken up.

Easing back into my regular diet again, I find myself still craving gentle, liquid food. I think soups are a very nice way to transition because they are easy to digest and highly nutritious. Plus, they introduce fiber back into your system slowly and soothingly. Ahhhhh. Doesn’t that feel good?

This soup is a celebration of freshness – in the body and in the season. Using the beautiful local produce that has just arrived, I was feeling inspired to create something that tastes clean and bright, especially after a week of juices.
The orange soup is a carrot, ginger, and miso blend, while the green soup features sweet peas and fresh mint, but any fresh herb would be outstanding. Delicious on their own, they are even more divine side by side as their opposing flavours somehow make friends in your mouth. Incredible. Plus, they look totally groovy hanging out together.
The other wonderful aspect of this dish is that you can serve it warm or cold. I have been enjoying it chilled in fact, even though cold soups have never really been my thing. In the sudden heat that June has brought us, it’s really a delectable relief, and I am excited to explore spring and summer soups further!



Now, I know that you think I must be crazy to suggest making two totally different soups for one meal, but I’ve made it quite simple to do, plus you may even have leftovers you can freeze for another time.

Carrot-Ginger-Miso Soup
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 small yellow onions, diced
• 2 inches, fresh ginger, minced
• 4 cups chopped and peeled carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 Tbsp. Japanese miso
• salt to taste


Minted Pea Soup
• 3 small onions
• 3 Tbsp. oilve oil
• 6 cups (2 pounds) fresh peas – you can also use frozen
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves (or any other herb you like: basil, cilantro, parsley etc.)
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt to taste

Directions (both soups at once):
1. Dice onions and set aside.
2. Place two pots on the stove and add a little olive oil. When warm, add onions to both pots and minced ginger to one, add some salt. Cook until onions are translucent. Set the “onion only” pot aside.
3. In the onion and ginger pot, add chopped carrots and stir. Pour in water, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, until the carrots are soft.
4. When the carrots are almost tender, put the other pot back on the burner, add peas and stock. Simmer, uncovered for 5-7 minutes, just until the peas are crispy-cooked. Do not turn them to mush!
5. Now you have the base for both soups. Hook up your blender and puree the soups respectively (be careful when blending hot liquids). While the carrot soup is blending, add orange juice, miso, and salt to taste. While the pea soup is blending, add the mint, agave nectar, lemon juice, and salt to taste.
To serve, pour one soup on one half and a bowl, and the other soup beside it. They will be similar densities, so they shouldn’t blend together, just rub shoulders.
If desired, garnish with fresh mint, or other green herb, lightly toasted pistachios, and a drizzle of quality olive oil.
Serve warm if it’s chilly outside, serve chilled if it’s hot.