Carrot Soup with Oven-Roasted Tofu for When You Want Something Warm, Nourishing, and Reasonable on Calories
I wasn't exactly at my best this week.
Between a mild cold and the chilly weather, all I could think about was bed, an enormous blanket, and a hot-water bottle. (Yes, I just gave away my age.)
So I decided to ease up on my workouts for the week.
And believe it or not, it did me a world of good.
But since skipping workouts is very much not my strong suit, I went to the gym anyway.
What can I say? I should've stayed home. 🙂
Once I finally accepted that this workout wasn't doing me any favors, I dragged myself home toward bed, dreaming about hot soup the whole way.
One problem: the fridge was looking pretty bare.
I had one lovely yellow bell pepper, a bunch of very sexy carrots, a cute little head of cauliflower I'd bought the day before, and a block of firm tofu waiting for its moment.
Clearly, creamy carrot soup with roasted tofu cubes was the move.
Now, stay with me, because here's the fun part:
I made the soup creamy with cooked cauliflower. It gives you that wonderfully smooth texture without the extra calories and fat you'd get from cream. How great is that?!
All that creaminess, no cream. Mind. Blown.
What does it taste like?
This soup is mild. Very, very mild.
If you're all about big, bold flavors, it might not be your thing.
For me, vegetable soups are a great way to eat more vegetables in winter.
Cooking can also help make some nutrients in vegetables more available for absorption, including minerals such as iron and zinc.
A few things about the recipe:
Don't skip roasting the vegetables. That's where the soup gets its flavor; without that step, you'll end up with a pretty bland bowl.
I used hawaij for soup (a savory Yemenite spice blend popular in Israel) as the main seasoning. If you're not a fan of hawaij, swap in another spice blend you love.
How do I serve it?
A bowl of this soup with some fresh bread makes a nourishing lunch. The protein, fiber, and fluid help keep you feeling full—a great combination when you're working on getting leaner.
Nutrition information provided by Noam Bachar (an Israeli clinical dietitian and fitness trainer).
One serving of soup contains:
216 calories
9 g carbohydrates
9 g protein
16 g fat (including 2 g saturated fat)
6 g dietary fiber
A whoooole lot of vitamin A
2 mg iron
In the mood for broccoli soup with almonds? Get the recipe here.
Carrot Soup with Roasted Tofu
Ingredients
- 3 carrots peeled
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 small head cauliflower cut into florets
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 300 g (10.6 oz) firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds raw
- 1 tablespoon hawaij for soup
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 cups water
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), using the top heating element or broiler setting.
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Cut the tofu into cubes.
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Combine the olive oil and hawaij in a bowl. Crush 2 garlic cloves, add them to the bowl, and mix well.
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Brush the tofu cubes with the olive oil mixture.
Reserve the mixture left in the bowl.
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Roast the tofu cubes for about 10 minutes, until browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
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Prepare the vegetables for the soup.
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Cut the carrots into large chunks and microwave for 5–7 minutes, until softened.
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Cut up the bell pepper and remove the seeds.
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Place the cooked carrots, bell pepper, cauliflower, and remaining 2 garlic cloves on a baking sheet.
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Roast for about 10 minutes, until browned.
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Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor with the tablespoon of lemon juice and the water. Process until smooth.
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Transfer to a deep pot.
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Add the reserved olive oil, hawaij, and garlic mixture from the bowl.
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Cook over very low heat for about half an hour.
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Top each bowl with 2 tablespoons of roasted tofu and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds.
A Little Extra
For an extra touch of richness, add a tablespoon of cashew cream.
