Alone Again, Organically. Plus Carrot Ginger Soup.

I'm looking at a pretty full month of single parenting (save a visit from my mom, who ok technically is the grandparent but for sure is an adult and a reinforcement, which is all I need) so I'm going all in on this year's garden.  Group activity and also forced family fun (the Triple F, as we call it).  Yea!  I could be painting our hallway and also all the trim. OK, I could stand to repaint every single wall in this house.  I could be cleaning out and organizing the basement, ditto the garage.  But I figure those things have been on my to-do list for so long that they can perish there a little longer (like 2014 at this rate).

Alright, already.

I have two little friends at home who are very supportive of this idea, "as long as our garden is organic."  Oh Jeez, Ann Arbor, you win already.  "Mostly organic?" I asked as I hid the jumbo sized container of Round-Up behind my back.  "All organic.  No chemicals," they both replied.  Right.

Their school classes took a field trip to an organic farm last fall.  It stuck apparently.  I was a chaperone on the trip and was chatting with a couple of the other moms about how all the farm workers were really strikingly beautiful and maybe it was because of all the fresh air and hard work and all the organic (!) food they eat.  And their skin!  How it glowed, etc.  I was potentially rambling.  Hard to tell.  Anyway, one of the other moms leaned into me and with a lowered voice said, "You do know they're all like 23, right?"  There was also that.  But it was probably more the organic food.

So Sunday we (broken down as 87% Carter, 12% me and 1% the boys combined) framed and dug new raised beds.  My 12% was plenty of work.  We then went to the store and went crazy buying seeds and starts.  They boys were really into it, although if H. had his way we would plant only pumpkins and gourds (for craft projects, naturally).  I'm thinking about all the fresh veggies we'll be getting and all he wants is gourds.  Organic gourds.  For the love.  We bought him one at the grocery store a couple years ago and he promptly named it "Gordie" and slept with it until it started to mold, at which point we got "Gordie 2" and you can see where this story is headed...

Number one on D.'s list was carrots.  I'm good with that one.  Especially since one of our favorite soups  (and it freezes beautifully) is Carrot Ginger.  So easy, healthy and fast.

Carrot Ginger Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 - 1.5 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped into big chunks
4 cups (32 oz.) chicken broth
1 teaspoon ginger (fresh or jarred)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Greek yogurt and chives, for garnish

Add about this many carrots (I know, I annoy myself too).

1. Saute the onion in the olive oil.

2. Add carrots and broth, cover and let boil on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, until the carrots can be pierced easily with a fork.

3. Transfer in batches to a blender (or blend with an immersion blender) and blend until smooth.

4. Add ginger, salt and pepper.

5. Serve with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and chopped chives.

What could go wrong?

I made this on Friday and we heated it up after the boys' soccer game on Saturday.  The soccer game where we had to pull out parkas and hats and mittens.  That game.  Go Wolf Pack.  I've discovered I'm nothing if not a fair-weather sports fan.  This soup was all I could think about.  Well, that and what indoor, temperature controlled sports they might like to play.

  Gardenia topiary (one of a pair) that I bought WAY too early to put outside but, even in their ugly nursery pots, they are gorgeous and making the house smell like there aren't three boys and a dog living here.  I'll probably kill them (talking about the Gardenias here) by the time I can transfer them outside. That's H.'s pig, Mr. Porcine.  The kid loves his crafts.  That is all.  XO