Eat // A New Name + Warming Up with Parsnips & Leeks Soup

Hello friends! You probably noticed that the blog has a different names (Dash & Bloom previously). That is because I was not completely sold on the previous name. I did not feel it encompassed everything I wanted to share in this blog. North Trail Living was my second choice and I feel it better represents me— from where I live to what I like to do to include gardening, trail running and cooking. These are all facets of my living experience here in Minnesota— the Bold North. So, my apologies if I confused you. Alright, on to today’s post.

Here in my part of Minnesota, we are having another cold foggy day, so it is perfect for soup. Not only am I trying to hydrate furiously the past couple of days, but I have also been craving parsnip and leeks soup for a long time. It is warm and comforting without being too heavy. And I love the earthy sweetness of this combination. If you are not familiar with parsnips, they are a root veggie related to carrots, but they have white skin and flesh with a nuttier taste when compared to carrots. Not only do I love the flavor, but also how nutritious they are. Parsnips are a great source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate, as well as other important micronutrients. (1)

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This root veggie is delicious and can be prepared in many ways, but my favorite is in soups. And while the leeks provide a delicious mellow layer of flavor to this recipe, the star in this soup are the parsnips. The recipe is quick and easy— once all the ingredient are prepped, it takes about 40 minutes for this tasty soup to be ready to eat.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 3 leeks, sliced (only white and light green parts)

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 4 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped

  • A generous pinch of nutmeg

  • 7 cups vegetable stock

  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

  • Salt and pepper

  • Dukkah for serving

Steps:

  1. In a large pan, heat up the olive oil.

  2. Add the leeks and sauté until soft (about 10 minutes).

  3. Add the chopped garlic into the pan, stir well and cook for 1 minute.

  4. Add the parsnips and nutmeg. Stir to mix.

  5. Add the hot vegetable stock and thyme, and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until the parsnips are soft.

  6. Let it cool for a bit, and using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.

  7. To serve, I drizzle some good olive oil and for this I also add dukkah— a middle eastern condiment that is normally used as a dip for bread, but I love the nuttiness with this soup.

“Did you know that parsnips are sweeter than carrots? Before the introduction of sugar cane in Europe, it was used as a sweetener. #TheMoreYouKnow ”