Elimination Recipe Box: Smooth Curried Vegetable Soup

This is an easy way to have a soup, sauce, etc. you can keep in the fridge for up to a week and re-heat to serve with almost anything.  The recipe is based on the food sensitivity elimination diet we are doing at the moment, which is why I started with online recipes for curried carrot soup, realized we can't use any commercial vegetable or chicken stock, and started winging it.  It's a great way to pick up some nutrients you might be missing. 

The "recipe" is not just basic; it's forgiving. Hate mushrooms?  Leave them out.  Love asparagus?  put it in.  The ingredients I used are not necessarily the ones you should use.

Throw in a can or two of full-fat coconut milk for a really diabolically tasty cream soup.

Ingredients:

3-4 large carrots, chopped into 1/2" pieces
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 bunch fresh spinach leaves, chopped, stems removed
6 oz fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/3 cup diced onion (or 1 large shallot)
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried dill
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ground cumin*
1/2 tsp ground coriander*
1/2 tsp turmeric*
1/2 tsp mustard seed*
1 tsp dried ginger (or 1 tablespoon minced fresh)*

(If you're not sensitive to or eliminating nightshade plants, you can substitute 1 tablespoon curry powder for these ingredients)

Recipe:

• Heat large pot on medium-high heat
• Add olive oil and wait until it moves like water
• Add onion, garlic, and fresh ginger if using (don't add dried at this point)
• Cook until onion is translucent and starting to brown
• Add all the other ingredients EXCEPT THE BAY LEAVES and enough water to barely cover them.  
• Bring to a simmer, then cook, covered for 15 minutes or until root vegetables can be pierced easily with a fork.
• Set pot in sink of cold water to start cooling.  Add a few ice cubes to the soup to speed the process, and stir until cool enough to touch without scalding
• In batches, process soup in blender until smooth
• Return to stove top and add bay leaves.  Bring back to a simmer.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.  
• Serve warm or chilled, or use as a sauce on chicken or fish.  garnish with fresh parsley for a little crunch, or serve over shredded spaghetti squash.