Spring Mountain Soup Recipe

Directions:

1. In a nice heavy pot large enough to fit your head, heat your oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until wonderfully fragrant and translucent, but take care not to brown them.
2. Toss in carrots and apples. Give them some time to get to know each other, about 15 minutes, stirring them around a bit so they can meet a new piece every couple minutes.
3. Pour a glass of your favorite dry red and have a sip or two, to make sure it's still up for the challenge of soup making, and pour the rest into the pot after it's passed the test. Stir everything around a bit and loosen any pieces that may have gotten stuck to the bottom of the pan while you were enjoying that wine.
4. Add water and raise heat up to medium high. Once everything is jumping around in a good boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Drizzle in your molasses and give it a quick go around the pot to make sure it has dissolved.
5. At this point, you can add your spices or you can wait till the last 2 or so minutes. If you care about what color your soup turns (tumeric has this fickle nature and loves to turn brownish after being cooked a while) wait. I don't care, however, and throw the spices in so my apples soak up every bit of spicy goodness they possibly can. It's totally up to you.
6. Pull out last month's magazines and pop a squat while your pot happily simmers away. Lift your head occasionally to fully enjoy the amazing aromas wafting in your direction...fragrant, spicy fruits and wine throwing a ho down in your kitchen.
7. After about 25 minutes, or 30 if it was a really good article, pry yourself off the chaise and check a nice fat piece of carrot for doneness. If the carrot willingly gives itself up to the fork, transfer the carrots, onions, and apples to a blender or food processor. While you're at it, don't forget to toss in the cantaloupe! Reserve the spiced yumyum fruit liquor in your stock pot.
8. Start x machine and let it properly puree everything to a smooth baby food consistency while you watch. You may want to scrape the sides down a bit and let it go again, but if you are happy enough just watching that's fine too.
9. Now, here again you have an option. If you like, you can push this heavenly mush mix through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon. Please don't throw away this lovely pulp leftover though! Add it to some muffins in the place of applesauce, or something, but don't let such a flavorful and nutrient-rich mess go to waste!
10. I like pulp and fiber and vitamins so I just mix my mush back into the reserved yum liquor. If you like, you can serve it now while it's warm and fragrant.
11. OR you can stick it in the fridge for a couple hours and allow it to chill while you relax. Both are good. Regardless, I suggest stirring in a fresh squeeze of grapefruit or lemon juice before serving, and combining a little almond milk and soy yogurt so you can make the pretty drizzle designs on top.
12. Because who doesn't like tastefully decorated soup? Freshly chopped mint will enhance the cooling, revitalizing properties of the soup, and it looks alright too.