Thai Style Carrot-Beet Soup

             
Summer boxes from my CSA Riverdog Farm     

What does CSA stand for?  Community Supported Agriculture.
What is a CSA box? Farm fresh local produce delivered direct to you or a pick-up location.
How can you find a CSA in your area? Search http://www.localharvest.org/ 
What does my CSA mean to me?  Inspiration for planning meals. The visual bounty in the box prompts ideas, which for me is easier and faster than perusing produce aisles or farmers markets.

Just follow the pictures and adjust ingredients to what you have on hand.  You may not have purple carrots like from my box — so use regular carrots! My box had chioggia beets which have pretty pink and white rings but the same sweet flavor as their red and gold cousins. Any kind of beets will do, or make the soup with carrots and no beets.

 

1 bunch each orange and purple carrots (8-10 medium);
4 chioggia beets, peeled;
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger;
1 red jalapeno pepper 

  SAUTE vegetables with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan.

ADD water to cover vegetables and  1/2 teaspoon salt.

COVER pan and simmer 20-30 minutes until vegetables are very tender. 

PUREE with a handheld blender or whirl in a food processor until smooth, adding additional water if very thick.

  
ADD:
1 can (15 oz.) light coconut milk (I like Trader Joe’s)
Juice of 1/2 lime
 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels or kernels from 2 ears of corn, raw
STIR over medium heat until warmed through.
SERVE with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Kitchen Tip:
Remember, beet greens are edible!  Saute in olive oil and garlic and serve as a side dish; toss finely shredded greens with pasta; or chop fine and stir into soups.
See my Butternut, Beets and Greens Pasta for another idea. Substitute summer squash for the butternut this time of year.