As I was perusing my website, I noticed that I did not have a lot of soup recipes. The only reason I was wandering through my site is I have had the unfortunate pleasure of coming down with a sickness again. I know everyone likes to believe that when we eat Paleo or clean in general, we will not get sick. That would be the case in a perfect world, but I am almost positive as hard as we try, none of us can always be perfect. In my case specifically, I can thank stress for causing my illness. I like to burn the candle at both ends which doesn’t normally affect me, but when coupled with an impending life change that I have no control over, it wears on me. I have been in the unknown since February 7th, waiting on an answer for my medical board. They assure me that they are 99% sure it will all work out, but not knowing for sure and not knowing when has been seriously hindering me. I am doing my best with allowing things to happen and take them as they come, but man sometimes it is hard. Fingers and toes crossed my medical retirement/separation gets some pep in it step.
Normally every time I buy carrots from the farmer’s market I have then throw the tops out because I have no clue what to do with them. Well it was a few months back and someone mentioned to me that they were edible so I figured I would give it a shot. I was shocked when I made this pesto and it came out perfect. I was so amazed and pleased that it tasted better than traditional pesto that I make. Most of all, I was happy I could use the entire piece of food and not waste any. I hope you really enjoy this recipe and sorry for the tacky photos, I was sick and was not feeling it. I tried though. Enjoy.
Carrot Soup with Carrot Top Garlic Pesto
Ingredients
Soup
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter or coconut oil 28 grams
- 1 large onion chopped
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 1/2 pounds of carrots with tops on 570 grams
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup diced peeled fuji apple (120 grams)
Pesto
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
- 1 cup of packed carrot top leaves 45 grams
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Soup
- Heat your grass-fed butter in a large pot over medium heat
- Add your onions and sea salt and cook until soft, approximately 8 minutes
- Remove your carrot tops, chop roughly and set aside
- Peel your carrots and roughly chop, add to your pot
- Stir in your chicken broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and let simmer for 30 minutes or until your carrots are soft
- Once your carrots are soft, either use an immersion blender and blend your soup or transfer to a blender and blend your soup in batches.
- Stir in your apples, garnish with your pesto below and serve
Pesto
- Place your garlic and walnuts in your food processor and pulse until minced
- Add in your carrot tops and sea salt and start running your food processor
- While your food processor is running, drizzle in your olive oil until you have a beautiful carrot top pesto
- Use this to garnish your soup above and enjoy
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Made the soup. The carrots I bought were skinny, so I don’t know if I did not put enough carrots in because I think the tops outweighed the bottom! I used 1/4 of an onion. It was ok. I thought it was a little oniony. I am going to try it again, but with more carrots. Thank you for the receipe.
Your so welcome Lee and it sounds like you pinpointed the problem
Looks like a yummy recipe! I will have to try it! Just one thing though, I thought carrot tops were slightly poisonous?
Amanda I am surprised you are the first person to ask. It’s a very debatable topic but I have eaten them numerous times and love them. Here are a few articles:
http://topics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/the-toxic-salad/
http://wellpreserved.ca/are-carrott-greens-toxic-deadly-edible/
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/harold-mcgee-responds-part-1/
What can I do if I don’t have access to carrot greens? Just started paleo and haven’t found a good farmer’s market yet….but I really wanted to make this recipe!
P.S…Thank you for your service!! My husband is active duty (AF) and deployed to the middle east currently.
Use fresh basil in place of the carrot tops :)
I am making this for dinner tonight and have everything for the soup done except the apple and it is absolutely delicious!! Is the apple mainly for sweetness? I am considering leaving it out.
Jenna the apple is for some sweet plus texture in case you want a little crunch :)
Hang in there, George! Sorry about the uncertainty, but just know there are people out here rooting for you. :)
Thank you Wendy :)
Hi George. I always get carrot greens with my carrots. I save them in a freezer bag with the carrot skin peels, celery ends, parsnip and rutabaga peels, etc. I add to the bag as I get the scraps. Then when I have chicken bones I add all those scraps to the bones and cook them to a bone broth/stock. I toss in some of nomnompaleo’s magic mushroom powder. It comes out so freaking flavorful. You must try. I never thought of pesto with the greens. Brilliant.
Best wishes for your medical decision.
Thank you for the awesome idea Lisa, that sounds delicious
You know George, sometimes I wonder if people realize how incredibly sophisticated and unique your recipes are. Am I the only one that thinks this is absolutely genius and unique to make a carrot top pesto? I have used carrot tops as garnishing before to give a theme of carrots or something like that, but never actually thought about eating them. Beautifully executed, I am going to have to try something new with my carrot tops.
Thanks Joshua. You will have to try it cause it is delicious
Um, so I didn’t read the directions closely, and threw the chopped apple in with the carrots and onion rather than saving it for the end. I can cheerfully report that it is delicious that way, too! :)
Thanks for the report Megan :)
This looks amazing!!! Can’t wait to try it, but i do have a question. So you don’t cook the apples in the soup? Are they just for texture/garnish?
You can do it either way Connie, I just preferred for garnish this time. You can cook them though and it will be delicious
I’m new to your site and loving it. I read “about me” section and the before and after pics that are amazing! I cant believe your story. But since I’m nosey can you explain more about your medical boards or what you were talking about above. If I’m being too nosey I’m sorry!!! Ok thanks and thanks so much for your awesome site and recipes.
George – just made this for lunch. it’s delicious. as always. thank you so much. I am grateful to have your creations as a part of my kitchen and life :)
Awesome thank you Jessika :)