Daal Inspired Ginger Beer Soup

January 11, 2011 By Leanne Vogel July 22, 2015

You’ve heard the saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”… but what if you’re OUT of wine? This was the predicament I was in today when I decided to make butternut squash & pear soup. What did I do? Well, the title says it all. I replaced the wine with ginger ale and began adding warming Daal inspired ingredients to balance things out. Another pureed soup for the books! This stuff is like crack magic.

Keeping the skin on

I can honestly say I’ve never peeled a carrot, a potato, sweet potato, cucumber, apple… the list goes on. If a recipe calls for the vegetables or fruits to be peeled I really, really, really try to avoid peeling them. Unless it’s a pear on a cake [more on this later] Vegetable [and fruit] skins are LOADED with fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients [specifically polyphenols]. It’s believed that the phytonutrients in foods lay up against the skin walls. Peel the skin off, and you’re removing key natural nutrients.

Apple skin: has high amounts of antioxidants [to fight free radical damage]
Eggplant skin: has a antioxidant called nasunin that’s been known to reduce brain damage
Sweet potato and pear skins: are loaded with fiber

And who likes peeling anyways? It takes up far too much time. Take advantage of this time saver, be lazy, and create a healthier meal! Recipe #5 in the Winter: A Time of Hibernation series. Also, prepared for Go Ahead Honey It’s Gluten-Free.

Daal Inspired Ginger Beer Soup

Author: Leanne Vogel

Recipe type: Dairy-free, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Paleo, Refined Sugar-free, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 8 cups of soup

Inspired by: Fresh Restaurant

Ingredients

1 cinnamon stick
1 inch ginger root, grated
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 butternut squash, seeded and chopped
1 sweet potato, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth (I used Harvest Sun Yeast Free Vegetable Bouillon)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced
311 mL can of ginger ale (I used Santa Cruz Ginger Ale for a strong ginger flavour)
2 bartlett pears, diced
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 red pepper, finely diced (garnish)
Pine nuts (garnish)

Instructions

In a large soup pot, combine cinnamon, ginger root, coriander, mustard seeds, cumin, butternut squash, sweet potato, and stock
Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes
Meanwhile, heat oil. Add onion and cook until caramelized (5 minutes or so)
Add ginger ale, pears, and carrots and cook for 5 minutes before adding to the soup pot
After 30 minutes at a simmer, remove from heat and add coconut milk, salt, and peepper
Remove cinnamon stick before pureeing soup in a blender or food processor
Garnish with red pepper and pine nuts.

View Nutritional Information (once on page scroll down)

This entry was tagged: freezable, ginger, soup