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21 Comments · September 26, 2014

Carrot, Lentil & Squash Soup with Walnut Croutons

Name: Carrot, Lentil & Squash Soup with Walnut Croutons
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon coconut oil; 2 cups diced yellow onion (about 1 medium onion); 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth; 3 cups peeled and diced carrots; 3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash; 1 cup split red lentils; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1/4 teaspoon curry powder; 2 1/2 cups water or plain almond milk; 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons sea salt or to taste; Dash of cayenne pepper; 1/2 cup raw walnut pieces; 1 tablespoon coconut sugar; 1/2 tablespoon melted coconut oil; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; Pinch of sea salt; Parsley leaves; Coriander seeds; Coconut milk

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This vegan and gluten-free carrot, lentil & squash soup with walnut croutons exemplifies the late summer to early fall shift. Its bright orange hue, warm spices, and creamy richness are the perfect combination for a time of transition.

Smooth.

Orange.

Creamy.

Sweet.

Savory.

Dreamy.

Warm.

Comforting.

Snuggle-up-with-a-bowl worthy.

With the end of September just around the corner, it's officially starting to look and feel like fall. That subtle chill in the air, a few trees prematurely turned golden, and a sudden craving for warm, comforting meals that waft sweet fall spices.

This soup exemplifies the late summer to early fall shift. Its bright orange hue, warm spices, and creamy richness are the perfect combination for a time of transition. Carrots, red lentils, and butternut squash are simmered with onions and spices in vegetable broth and puréed to silky smooth bliss. No need for cream in this soup; nature's finest plants get the job done.

Garnishes are usually my favorite part of every dish, and this soup is no exception to my patterns of favoritism. Walnuts are tossed in a mixture of coconut oil, coconut sugar, and cinnamon and baked until they become crispy and caramelized. Although they're technically roasted nuts, we're going to bend the rules and call them croutons. They add sweetness and a dose of healthy fats to this vegetable-laden bowl of goodness.

On an unrelated note, I hope you're all doing well and enjoying the seasonal shift. I love this time of year but am sometimes caught off guard by just how different the vibes of fall feel after experiencing those sunny summer highs. I can never put my finger on what it is exactly, but I remember one of my yoga teachers talking about the same funny feeling last fall, and it confirmed my own annual-fall-funkiness experience.

All I know is that an extra workout or two a few weeks in a row usually knocks the weirds out of me, so I'm preemptively kicking it up a notch. Combating the fall funkies (and the abundance of dessert recipes I've been testing lately) one Vinyasa flow at a time. Anyone else know what I'm talking about or am I sounding a bit crazy? I'll make my exit now and leave you with soupy goodness and thought-provoking (or stifling) strangeness. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

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5 from 7 votes