Never let a good Parsnip go to waste: Pretty Parsnip Carrot Soup

Part of shopping on a budget--especially when trying to buy foods that are local and organic (eeek! so expensive) Is looking around the shop and seeing the state of things.  By this I mean that when I go to my local organic produce shop (That is Kensington's Essence of Life Organics) I follow a specific routine.  First I examine the parameter--I look and see what they have, where it is from and what the cheapest options are. My favorite place to start is usually a small bin over on the right where there is a usaully a small pile of "over ripe" produce that is often Very local, Very organic and compared to most other things VERY cheap.  Sometimes you find ancient ginger, half rotted exotic fruits and the such--This is where I usually find either my immediate snack of the day or my week's soup.  After this little adventure I then consider where I should be frugal and where I should splurge.  I usually am very happy to choose the cheapest options of potatoes, onions and some kind of leafy green and then continue to negotiate and over analyze all other prospective produce.

Last week I struck pure gold when I found three nicely sized organic Ontario parsnips mixed with a few bright orange carrots.  I looked past their pruned skin and bruised bodies and saw my dinner for that evening (and lunch the next day...and the next...and the next).

I put together one of my wintertime favorites:

Pretty Parsnip/Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

- 4 cups of washed and chopped Carrots

- 2 cups of washed and chopped Parsnips 

- 1 yellow cooking onion 

- 4 cloves of garlic minced

- 1/2 tsp chili flakes 

- 2 tsp sage

- 1 tsp thyme

- pinch of salt

- 2 pinches of black pepper

- 1 tsp paprika 

- 6-8 cups of Veggie Stock (in this case I used some frozen Veggie Stock made here)

- 2-4 tbsp butter

Suuuuuuuuper Soup:

1. Chop Carrots and Parsnips into little bite sized cubes--as shown from a birds eye view in the photo--they cook much faster this way!

2. On a Medium Heat in a Pot that can hold at least 8 cups of water,--Saute the onion and garlic in half of the butter.  Once the onions are soft add the carrots and parsnips and the rest of the butter.  Mix well so that the veggies are nicely coated with the butter/onion/garlic mixture and allow to SWEAT it out for several minutes.  Make sure to keep and eye and mix well so that the bottom does not burn.

3. add the spices--use more or less of your favorite ones--I find sage and the chili flakes to be the most important ones! (well..and the salt)  Allow the spices to mix well with the veggies.

4. Add the stock and turn heat to high to reach a boil

5. Allow the soup to boil for a minute or two and then reduce to simmer for at least 45 minutes.  At this time taste and add more salt or pepper if neccesary

6. If you have an Immersion blender then this is a good time to blend the soup...if not you may want to wait until it is cool so that you don't burn yourself...however I am often impatient and gamble with the whole burning situation...

And Wallah! a nice thick tasty soup!