This is the story of a raw little soup, so easy to make, it's ridiculous.

Of course, the making of it requires a $550 Vitamix blender. But don't panic. I am going to make this make sense, make you desireth this blender if you don't have it, tantalize your little budget buds, be weird. Apparently: be very weird.

And no, baes. Vitamix is not sponsoring this bad boy. I'm just telling you a story about LOVE. TRUE LOVE. CAN'T A GIRL LOVE HER KIDS, HER BOYFRIEND, HER PUPPY, AND HER BLENDER, TOO?!!

Why, yes. She can. And here is it's ode...

Way back when I was a poor newlywed, raising 4 tiny tots on a one-man budget, we gathered our pennies together and went on a road trip. To save bucks, we stopped midway at the sister of a friends house. She graciously put us up for the night. In the morning, we came downstairs, and she was busy making breakfast. Two sizzling pans on the stove, a pan baking in the fridge, her standing at the center of a busy little kitchen, hovering over a giant ass blender.

"OH MY GOSHHHHH. HAVE YOU GUYS EVER USED A VITAMIX? THIS THING IS AMAZING!"

(I forgot to mention this story is full of a lot of yelling. Excited yelling).

So, no. We hadn't. Nor were we interested.

IT WAS A BLENDER FOR HECKSAKES.

But she started in on the telling about it all:

"Okay, so we went to Costco, and the Vitamix demo dude was there...

Yeah. Seen that. Avoided that.

"...And he made this smoothie. It was good. I stood there to hear what the ingredients were."

Uh-huh. Smoothies. Blah blah blah.

"So then, he shows us that you can just make pancake batter right in your blender. Like you put the raw, ungrinded wheat in there, AND YOU GRIND THE WHEAT RIGHT IN THE BLENDER. Then, you add all of the other ingredients, blend together the batter, then pour right into your pan."

Okay, intriguing. Maybe.

"This thing can do, like, everything. But the best part? You can just put everything in there for soup, blend it up, then keep blending and HEAT THE SOUP RIGHT IN THE BLENDER."

Hmmm. Okay. Whaaaaa?

"AND THEN, TO CLEAN IT, YOU JUST FILL IT WITH SOAPY WATER AND BLEND IT AGAIN. AND THEN IT'S CLEAN. I never do dishes anymore. I just used my blender for, oh, pretty much everything. We're eating healthier than ever, and I NEVER DO DISHES."

See? Excited yelling.

Her schpill in the kitchen that day. It was enough to make me want a Vitamix with every inch of my little newlywed heart. So we started saving pennies, and 5 years later, purchased a Vitamix for our kitch.

It's been 10 years now, and that baby is still the single most effective tool I have in healthy eating. We use it daily. To make smoothies. To make batters. To make dishes go away. To make soups.

To make this soup.

And while I try to post recipes here that anyone can make, with even the most meager of tools. I offer you what I was offered all those years ago: this diatribe, disguised as a story, on why you really, really, really, really, really should consider Vitamixxing your face off, if you haven't already.

Not the least of these reasons: this lovely carrot soup. Made with raw carrots, no cooking required. Just blend. Add turmeric and ginger and lemongrass. Then keep blending until smooth and glorious. You will not be sad. Or saddish. Or even remotely sad-like.

You may turn weird. Or maybe that's just me.

(P.S. When writing this post, I seriously considered linking to the Ninja as a more affordable blender option. I've heard tell that it's great. However, reviews consistently come in with Vitamix taking top honors. Not the least of the reasons, because the Ninja can not heat liquids, nor is it approved for blending hot liquids. So there we have it. Vitamix for the worth it. FYI!).

Lemongrass-Ginger & Turmeric Carrot Blender Soup with Coconut Almond Streusel

4 servings | 15 minutes

2 Tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup sliced onions
pinch Maldon salt flakes
4 servings | 10 minutes
12 oz carrots, well cleaned and cut into 1" pieces
2 Tbsp tahini
15 oz coconut or almond milk
1" piece fresh ginger, peeled
3 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp lemongrass puree (or a 1" piece fresh lemongrass)
1/2- 1 Tbsp turmeric (depending on how much you like the flavor)
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 cups veggie broth
1/2 bunch scallions, finely chopped
fresh dill for garnish
pomegranate arils for garnish

In a small saucepan, heat honey (or maple syrup) over high heat until bubbling, stir constantly for 30 seconds, then toss in coconut and almonds, stirring until they turn light golden. Transfer to a piece of parchment. Salt lightly with Maldon flakes. Allow to cool.

In a Vitamix Blender, combine carrots, tahini, almond milk, ginger, garlic and lemongrass, salt and 1 cup veggie broth. Blend, adding more broth, as needed until soup is desired texture.

Continue to blend on high, until the soup is warm. Pour into bowls. Top with streusel, scallions, dill and pomegranate arils. Enjoy!