I see you 30 degree Chicago weather.  You really didn’t mess around this year I swear I was at the pool and then suddenly digging through storage to find my winter boots.  I’ve drank more tea in the last month than in the four previous ones.  My food cravings have completely shifted.  Sushi doesn’t even sound good anymore.  Beautiful, delicious sushi that I normally love but that falls into the bucket of inedible under 100 degree food that I refuse to eat when it’s freezing out.

And while I know we’re all craving mashed potatoes and green bean casserole right now consider this soup part of a pre-Thanksgiving cleans so you can go crazy on some pumpkin pie next week.

You’ll need:

• Olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
• Salt/Pep
• 4 cups veggie stock
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons sweet chili garlic sauce (use a lot less if you don’t want heat)
• 0.25 cup coconut milk (more less or less depending on how creamy you want)
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Optional garnish: more coconut milk, chili garlic sauce, sriracha, spiced pumpkin seeds, chopped parsley

To Make:

1. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil.  Add onion and garlic and sauté three minutes.  Add carrots and sauté for five minutes.  Season with salt/pep.
2. Add veggie stock and stir.  Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes until veggies are tender.
3. Transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth (be careful letting some heat escape in blender and cover with a towel so things don’t get crazy).
4. Add peanut butter, chili garlic sauce and coconut milk and blend like you mean it.  Taste and see what else it needs, I added honey, salt/pep and a little more chili garlic sauce.
5. Pour into bowls garnishing as desired.

 Inspired by MinimalistBaker