Roasted carrots and parsnips join a load of fresh thyme and a hint of ginger in this smooth and creamy soup recipe. Enter to win a copy of Brown Eggs and Jam Jars below.




My children are sitting on the living room floor busying themselves with a circuit kit, setting it up to make lights turn on and fans blow. They are killing time as they wait for me to finish working so we can head into the kitchen together to make lunch and then bake for later.

My kitchen is small, the kind of small that makes me cringe when too many people occupy the space, the kind of small that means I am always looking for alternative storage methods and attempting – often in vain – to make the space feel large and open by minimizing clutter. It’s not the kind of kitchen I want to share with multiple bodies, yet I do daily. I invite them in. I hand over tasks to them instructing them on how to stir the pot while scrapping the bottom, teaching them to scoop and sweep when measuring flour, show them how to cut orange segments for lunches. I keep a drawer – the same drawer that holds the kitchen towels, plastic wrap and foil, hot pads, trivets and everything else – stocked with aprons for the entire family. I keep the aprons for them so they know they are welcome, even though I am wont to use an apron myself, instead sporting a dusting of flour across my jeans or a wayward splatter on the sleeves of my sweatshirt.

I know where my priorities lie, and it’s there in the kitchen, while children spread homework out across the dining room table, where I trip over lunchboxes piled high on the floor as I teach them that it’s doing this with each other that is important. That taking the time to feed ourselves has value. It’s the place where we eat every night together, even when it’s just soup and sandwiches, nothing fancy, nothing but real food that we made.

There’s something about a simple bowl of soup that makes me feel complete in the winter. This one is no exception. Roasting the carrots and parsnips first creates a bit of extra round and robust flavor from the vegetables. The thyme and a bit of ginger help give the soup depth, and it’s all blended together into a creamy mix of root vegetable goodness. We served it alongside toasted cheese sandwiches, a suitable stand-in for your conventional tomato soup.

Roasted Carrot, Parsnip, and Thyme Soup

Yield: 16 cups

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 pound young carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch coins
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced into 3/4-inch coins
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt + more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 8 ounces potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• crème fraîche or cream for garnish
• extra thyme for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

In a large bowl, toss together the carrots and parsnips and coat with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add in the thyme, salt, and pepper and toss to coat. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until they are softened.

While the vegetables are roasting, using a large pot heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Add in the ginger and continue cooking for an additional minute before introducing the potatoes, stock, and 2 cups of water.

Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes with the pot partially covered, until the potatoes are medium tender.

Add the roasted vegetables to the soup and partially cover the pot. Bring to another boil, then remove the lid and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

Blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Add additional salt to taste. Serve hot, garnished with a drizzle of cream or a dollop of crème fraîche and extra thyme.

Notes

This recipe has been slightly adapted with permission from Brown Eggs and Jam Jars by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque.

When I first started blogging I was approached by Aimée to become a contributor to a new site she was starting, Simple Bites. For years I advocated cooking with your kids both there and here, always trying to encourage people to cook real food with their real family – messes and small, cramped spaces, and ridiculous sports schedules and all. The Simple Bites community was one I was proud to be a part of.

Today we’re celebrating the release of Aimée’s cookbook, Brown Eggs and Jam Jars: Family Recipes from the Kitchen of Simple Bites. It’s a gorgeous book overflowing with tips on cooking food for your family. It embodies Aimee’s outlook on how she feeds her family perfectly, and it’s full of lovely, approachable recipes. It’s been wonderful to see Aimee grow her love for food and ideas into book form.

In Brown Eggs and Jam Jars you’ll find everything from beautiful stories of life with her family to tips on stocking your pantry, the basics of cooking, freezer foods, and more. It’s full of gorgeous photography and recipes you’ll be making over and over again like ice cider caramel corn, creamy ranch dressing, and spinach and ricotta pappardelle. You can sign up to win a copy of Aimée’s cookbook below, and be sure to check out Simple Bites for more wonderful family food ideas.