This recipe is perfect for Easter! Why? Because the Easter Bunny is a rabbit…and rabbits love carrots, of course!

Okay, I may be stretching the association a bit (a BIT?!), but this soup is delicious, filling, and low-cal. And, like most soups, is very easy to make.

NOTE: You can make this soup with carrots of various colors – purple, white, yellow, and orange. Choose one, or mix and match. Warning: mixing the colors (particularly with purple) produces a soup color that’s not very pretty, although it’s still scrumptious.

CARROT-GINGER SOUP

• 2 T butter
• 2½ cups onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger (found in the jarred spice section or bins)
• 1 T grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried ginger)
• 2 lbs carrots (buy the ones with tops – they’re the freshest)
• 4 cups water
• 1½ cups carrot juice, divided
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 T red cider vinegar
• salt & pepper to taste
• grated hard cheese (such as Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan)
• optional:  chives, sour cream, croutons

Melt butter in a stockpot. Add in onions, garlic, salt, sugar, crystallized ginger, and fresh ginger (or dried). Sauté for 5 minutes.

Remove tops from carrots and discard. Chop carrots into small pieces and add to onion mixture. Add in water, 3/4 cup of the carrot juice, thyme, and baking soda. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes.

Cool for at least 15 minutes. Pour into a blender (in batches, if necessary) and purée. Return to stockpot and add vinegar and the remaining 3/4 cup carrot juice. Taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Heat and serve. Sprinkle on cheese. Add a dollop of sour cream, chives, and croutons, if you like.