I don’t know about you, but between the darkness, cold weather, shorter days etc. my whole system just feels kind of off. My body is needing more sleep than usual, and needing a lot more warming foods - hello carbs! I think it is so important to be in tune with our bodies and give them exactly what they are asking for and also ask ourselves why? I have been so incredibly busy (in the best kind of way) that my body is just telling me I need to slow down slightly, get an extra 30 minutes of sleep and ease up at the gym. The cold weather makes me crave soups, granola, bread, muffins and anything else that sticks to the bones! Am I alone here? Luckily there is this great community that allows us to eat all these delicious treats in the healthiest way possible. I have been making my goddess granola and homemade almond milk on repeat for the last two weeks. I don’t feel guilt for the added carbs or extra sleep ins, rather I feel good that I am giving myself what I need for this particular moment. Like everything, pushing yourself is good thing, so long as it is in moderation. Knowing when to take a few steps back can sometimes be the hardest part.

If you’re feeling even slightly how I have been feeling, I wanted to share this recipe to help keep you warm and cozy. After sharing my carrot soup pictures and videos on Snapchat and Instagram stories, lots of you wrote in that you’d love the recipe. Although I prefer chunky soups, pureed soups are definitely the easiest. It doesn’t matter how perfect your produce looks, or how nicely you chop it because in the end, it all gets blended together. Pureed soups are also a great way to add in extra nutrients that maybe your significant other or child doesn’t particularly like (think spinach, celery, broccoli). Because I love multiple textures, I like to add crunchy chickpeas, crushed tortilla chips or some nuts and seeds on top! Enjoy this recipe, stay warm and give your body what it needs and DESERVES!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots
• 3 garlic cloves
• 12-15 carrots (side note: I actually used purple carrots in this recipe, despite the orange colour!)
• 1 peeled and cored apple (add a second for a sweeter soup)
• 2 litres organic veg or chicken stock
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
• 4 tbsp freshly chopped dill

Directions

1. Roughly chop all of your ingredients. Size doesn’t really matter here because it will end up in your blender anyway!
2. Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Cook onions until translucent, add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Add your carrots and apple, sauté for 5 minutes. Add your stock, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and dill. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the carrots are cooked through.
4. In small batches, transfer mixture into your blender. Blend until smooth (may need to do this more than once) then transfer into a container. You can also use an immersion blender for this. Top with fresh dill.