Chilled Carrot-Ginger Soup

Well, here I am with another recipe for you all! This idea came out of a really hot day recently that was making me scratch my head when it came to cooking: what on Earth am I going to cook in this heat? I found myself wishing I had had the foresight to make something nice and cold on one of the 18-degree days we'd just had. I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a nice, refreshing, chilled soup waiting for me in the fridge?"

Enter the carrot-ginger. Here we were again, sitting at a pleasant 16 degrees, and so I made it. And when Thursday and Friday get here, when it's supposed to feel like almost 30 degrees with the humidity factored in, I'll be very glad I made this soup yesterday!

I used orange carrots, so the colour is super dramatic. You could use any kind, though.

This soup is easy, delicious, slightly sweet, gluten-free, vegan and free of grains, nuts and soy. In other words, you'll have a hard time saying no to it...

Chilled Carrot-Ginger Soup Makes 6 servings

6 cups unsalted veggie broth
1 lb carrots, peeled and chopped
1 Tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoons liquid sweetener (optional)

Place all ingredients in a two-quart pot. Cover and bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until carrots are cooked through. Cool slightly, then place soup in a blender and purée. Chill until very cold, mix well (it may separate a bit), and then serve.