Halloween signals the end of Breast Cancer Awareness month and the start of the winter holiday season for young and old. For those needing to live gluten-free, this can be an especially challenging time of year. Office parties, open houses and family events are all complicated enough without having to make sure your food is safe, too. Don’t panic! We’ve got some great tips for getting ready now, so you can enjoy the parties & holidays later!

Be prepared! A little planning goes a long way.

• Call Ahead – Find out where the event will be and who is catering. One simple phone call could make the difference between nothing to eat and your own special plate.
• Office Party? – Volunteer for the committee and help them make healthy choices for you and everyone else!
• Eat First – Before you head off to a party or gathering where you don’t know what will be served, have something safe & satisfying to eat. Try a pureed soup, like this week’s Roasted Carrot Soup – thinned with a little extra broth or coconut milk, it becomes a filling smoothie!
• Eat Later – Always keep a snack bar or protein bar in your bag just in case.

Eating Out: Don’t be afraid to eat at a new restaurant – plan ahead!

• Don’t wait for the big night – do a test run now (date night, anyone?), before the holiday crush.
• Lots of great restaurants now have gluten-free menus. Ask the hostess or your server – if they don’t know, be wary!

All of these restaurants have gluten-free menus. Hooray!

This week’s recipe, Roasted Carrot Soup, is a great way to take what we’ve learned during Breast Cancer Awareness month and keep it in our daily routine. We’ve got:

• Carrots for beta-carotene and carotenoids (easiest to access when cooked),
• Ginger for its anti-inflammatory properties,
• Turmeric for its anti-cancer properties,
• Cannellini beans for iron, B vitamins, fiber and more,
• This soup is Dairy-free, Gluten-free and Vegetarian,
• Vitamin Bonus: the iron in the beans and the vitamin C in the orange juice make it easier for your body to absorb both!

Roasted Carrot Soup
Here is a great pureed soup that is filling and easy to bring to work in a thermos or freeze in single portions.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs + 1 Tbs grapeseed oil
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
• Kosher salt
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3 tsp fresh ginger root, grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 cup canned cannilini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4-5 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• Cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line edged baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare carrots and mix with 1 tablespoon of oil. Spread carrots on prepared tray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Place carrots in center of oven and roast for 30 minutes, until fork-tender.
2. While carrots are roasting, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until onions are beginning to soften, 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, cumin, and turmeric; sauté for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of broth and beans; bring to a simmer, lower heat and continue to cook, covered, until carrots are done roasting.
3. Combine carrots and broth mixture in a blender in batches and puree until smooth (or use immersion blender in the Dutch oven/saucepan). Pour soup into Dutch oven/saucepan. Add orange juice and taste for spice and salt. If soup is too thick, add more broth. Sprinkle with garnish before serving.

Download recipe now!