• Finely Chopped Garlic (I use the chopped garlic in the jar)
• 1 Whole Large Sweet Onion (chopped through a food processor or finely chopped)
• 1 Whole Ginger Stalk + 2-3 tbs of ginger paste or puree. Ginger is the magic, so use it sparingly.  Finely chop stalk
• Virgin Olive Oil-Cold Pressed for sauteeing
• 3 Fresh Organic Carrot Bunches or 3 small bags of carrots
  (leave skins on; wash thoroughly)
• 2 Containers of low-sodium Chicken Broth--if you can get organic, that would work best--but any good low-sodium broth will do (or you can make your own)
• 1 pack of baby Bella mushrooms (small to medium pack, depending on how much you love mushrooms!)
• 2 Large Sweet Red Bell Peppers
• 1 Bunch of Fresh Spinach Leaves
• Heavy Cream
• Seasonings: sea salt, light salt, or regular salt

Wash and clean all vegetables--might be a project for the day before

Send onion through the food process to finely chop, set aside

Peel & finely chop the fresh ginger stalk, set aside

In a large pot, pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of Olive Oil and heat on low.
(it's essential to have enough to sautee these spices) 

Add all the chopped onion and ginger, 1/2 jar of your garlic (about 4-6 tablespoons),
and 2-3 tbs of your ginger paste or puree.

Let slow cook to tenderize as you prepare other ingredients

After 15 minutes of slow simmering,
add your first box of Chicken Broth
Continue to simmer with onions, garlic, and ginger.

Sautee mushrooms in Olive Oil and set aside.

Chop Red Bell Peppers, sautee in Olive Oil, and set aside.

Chop all of your Carrots into 1-inch strips.
(The size of your strips matters as you will put them in your blender once they are cooked to puree--too big makes for a lot of work!  Too little doesn't give them time to simmer with the spices.)

  Slowly add all the carrots to your simmering pot of broth and seasonings. 
Let cook for 5-10 minutes,
and 
add the 2nd box of Chicken Broth to your pot. 
Let Simmer until a fork can easily pierce the thickest carrot strip.

Pull out your Blender. Using a spoon with Holes, take half the carrots and put them in the blender. 
Add 1 to 1/1/2 cups of the liquid. 
Blend on high, stirring constantly, until the carrots become
a well-blended paste.
Pour the blended Carrots into a bowl and set aside. 
Take the remaining carrots from the pot
and repeat this process. 
Once all the carrots are blended, return the blended Carrots to the simmering liquid and STIR well! 

Add sauteed mushrooms, red bell peppers, and chopped spinach to the simmering pot. 

Simmer for 20-30 minutes, letting all the flavors blend well together--test by taste.

Final 2 Steps:  Add Salt to Taste (add black pepper if you want--but go light).  

Add 1/3 to 1/2 of Heavy Cream (or a little more)
to give the soup a rich flavor and creamy look. 
Simmer for 10-15 more minutes ( careful to not burn)

This Soup is wonderfully delicious and good for both Summer and Winter.  It is light, very flavorful, and nutrient-dense--with all the vegetables added ( but you don't have to add the vegetables if you don't want them--that was my take on it).

 Even with all the wonderful ingredients, I elevate this soup by serving myself a bowl with either sprinkled parmesan cheese or a handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese, AND I top it with Fresh Gourmet Sante Fe Tortilla Strips (a handful on top for the Crunch!)

Enjoy
My Inspiration Came from Marlowes and Allrecipes
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/269606/carrot-ginger-soup/

• 3/4 C. of Cornmeal (yellow or white--any brand). I use yellow and order it freshly stone-ground from McEwen and Sons--but any cornmeal works!
  
• 1/1/4 C. of Flour
• 1 C. Brown Sugar
• 3/4 tsp. Salt  (I always, always use Light Salt by Morton)
• 1/2 Tsp of Baking Soda
• 2/1/2 - 3 TBS. of Baking Powder (YES!!--my discovery--more baking powder gives cornbread a light and fluffy texture--it puts in more air pockets--but you can play around with how much you put in--a minimum of at least 1.5 TBS)
• 3 Eggs (set to reach room temperature)
• 5 Tbs. of Butter (soften)
• 1/3 C. of Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tbs. of Honey
• 1 C. of Half and Half
• 1/4 C. of Sour Cream
• 2 Heaping Tablespoons of Pumpkin Puree ( I don't use pumpkin puree for anything else, so  I get the smallest can, and I try to make a couple of pans of bread)
• The Magic, The Kicker, The Elevation:  A Pinch or Two of Cayenne Pepper

Flour and Cornmeal should equal 2 Cups!

Mix Sour Cream and Butter Well
Add Oil and Blend Some More--Well
Blend Room Temperature Eggs and Add to Butter and Sour Cream
Blend in Brown Sugar and Blend Very Well
Add Honey and Blend Well
Add Pumpkin Puree--Blend, of Course
Add Spices (Salt, Baking Powder and Baking Soda) and Blend
Mix Cornmeal and Flour Together
Add Flour & Cornmeal Mixture to the Liquid Mixture--Slowly--as Follows:

Alternate 1/3 Flour/Cornmeal & 1/3 Half and Half to 
Liquid Mixture and Blend Well. Repeat.
Add the Magic--Pinch or Two of Cayenne Pepper


Spray and Line the Loaf Pan with Pam Spray or Oil

Cook in 350 Degree Oven for 30-50 Minutes
Test with Fork in Center for Doneness

I order my cornmeal from McEwen and Sons so that it is fresh ground.  Their website is https://mcewenandsons.com/all-products

(McEwen products are used worldwide in fine restaurants, so the flavor is fantastic, but they are a little pricier than store-bought, and you must pay for shipping. It does last a long time, though! But, again, all cornmeal works)

There are no Special Instructions--gauge the pinch of Cayenne--too much will overpower your cornbread, and too little won't give it that kick that makes it unique.

I serve a helping of this bread with butter that I  blend:

Soften 1 Stick of butter with a teaspoon or less of Cinnamon and mix until well-blended.  You can store it once it is mixed and use it as needed.

This Blended butter makes this bread a Heavenly Treat!

Enjoy!

• Stone Ground Sliced Pumpernickel Bread ( if you don't like pumpernickel, stone ground multi-grain will do a great job too!--but I didn't like pumpernickel until after I tried this sandwich--so give it a try--at least once)
• English Cucumber
• Large Beef-Steak Tomatoes (for slicing)
• Medium-soft Avocado
• Field Greens, or Mixture of Spring Mix and Spinach, or All Baby Spinach
• Freshly Ground Parmesan Cheese
• Hellman's Mayo

Thinly Slice English Cucumber for 1 Sandwich (about 6-8 Slices)
Slice Tomato to Get 1 Large Slice
Wash 1/3 Greens and Pat Dry 
Wash Fresh Avocado and Slice at Angle to Get 1-3 Flat Slices

Toast-Bread:  Toast It Once for Full Toasting. Leave in Toaster and Toast
 it a Second Time--Half of the Time to get a Nice Crunchy but Not Burned Slice
(an essential step for flavor)

Assemble
Spread Hellman's Mayo on Both Slices of Toasted Bread
On One Slice
Pile on Your Greens (as much or as little as you prefer, up to 1/3 Cup)
Place Sliced Tomato on Top
Add cucumber slices (they'll fall off a little, but that's okay!)
Add Avocado Slices
Add a Handful of Your Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese on Top
Put the Second Slice on Top
Cut in Half

Fresh Vegetable Ingredients are the Best

Good Pumpernickel or Multi-Grain Bread will Elevate this Sandwich
(so choose your bread carefully--freshly made is always the best!)
I purchase my pumpernickel from Fresh Market (if one is near you)
(Whole Foods or any good grocery store bakery, such as Publix, Kroger, Wegmans, etc., also works well)

Hellman's Adds a Certain Flavor to all the Ingredients

Toasting the Bread Twice is Essential to It's Flavor and Taste!

Enjoy