i escaped.

last night after my seven-thirty pm yoga class, i hopped in the car and drove straight to the desert. i have been dying for a few days to recharge, and what better place is there to do that than by a pool with a pina colada in your hand? or a mai tai if that is more your thing.

even though i only drove two hours out of town, i'm enjoying the sunshine instead of the rain.

but for those stuck in the gloom, or anyone who loves a tasty soup, this recipe is for you.

roasted carrot + ginger soup

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 10 minutes

inactive time: 40 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: 1 lb carrots, peeled, halved and roughly chopped. 1 medium sized brown onion, diced. 2 tbs olive oil. 5 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped. 1 tbs grated ginger. 5 thyme sprigs, leaves removed. 4 cups chicken stock. .5 cup heavy cream. 2 tsp salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. baking sheet. parchment paper. immersion blender (food processor or blender will work). seasoned croutons and cilantro leaves for serving.

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. lay out a layer of parchment paper on a baking sheet. combine the carrots, onions and olive oil together. season with half the salt and half the pepper. toss well to combine and then pour the carrots and onions onto the baking sheet in a nice even layer.

roast the veggies for 30-40 minutes. checking them about halfway through to stir. you just want the edges of the carrots start to brown. once you've gotten some good color on your carrots, remove them from the heat.

add them to a large pot over medium heat. add in the garlic, ginger and thyme leaves and cook until the garlic is fragrant. about 1 to 2 minutes.

pour in the chicken stock, the rest of the salt and pepper and stir well to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. simmer for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat.

using your hand immersion blender, or working with a food processor or blender, puree the soup till all the chunks are out.

pour in the cream and continue to blend the soup till the cream is completely combined.

serve with some seasoned croutons and some cilantro leaves and enjoy.

xo, a

roasted carrot + ginger soup

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 10 minutes

inactive time: 40 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: 1 lb carrots, peeled, halved and roughly chopped. 1 medium sized brown onion, diced. 2 tbs olive oil. 5 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped. 1 tbs grated ginger. 5 thyme sprigs, leaves removed. 4 cups chicken stock. .5 cup heavy cream. 2 tsp salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. baking sheet. parchment paper. immersion blender (food processor or blender will work). seasoned croutons and cilantro leaves for serving.

start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees f. lay out a layer of parchment paper on a baking sheet. combine the carrots, onions and olive oil together. season with half the salt and half the pepper. toss well to combine and then pour the carrots and onions onto the baking sheet in a nice even layer. roast the veggies for 30-40 minutes. checking them about halfway through to stir. you just want the edges of the carrots start to brown. once you've gotten some good color on your carrots, remove them from the heat. add them to a large pot over medium heat. add in the garlic, ginger and thyme leaves and cook until the garlic is fragrant. about 1 to 2 minutes. pour in the chicken stock, the rest of the salt and pepper and stir well to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. simmer for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat. using your hand immersion blender, or working with a food processor or blender, puree the soup till all the chunks are out. pour in the cream and continue to blend the soup till the cream is completely combined. serve with some seasoned croutons and some cilantro leaves and enjoy.