Roasted Carrot and Fennel Soup With Miso-Glazed Mushrooms and Cashew Cream

Spring root vegetables star in this velvety, creamy soup, a riff on classic carrot-ginger soup that’s brightened by fennel and enriched with savory miso. Roasting the carrots and fennel brings out their sweetness; do not skip this step. Cashew cream adds creaminess without dairy, and a garnish of seared shiitake mushrooms glazed in more miso enhances the soup’s earthiness. It’s a great way to welcome spring and please anyone’s taste buds. I designed this soup, though, with people living with IBD, Crohn’s, or colitis in mind. Many elements of this soup will soothe your gut when you’re in a flare, and also help to prevent flares. According to my GI dietitian colleague, Ciara Conlon-Hewitt, RD, during flare-ups, people with IBD should focus on foods that are low in insoluble fiber and rich in soluble fiber, like the carrots and fennel in this recipe. Peeling the carrots and cooking and puréeing them along with the fennel, makes them even easier to digest. Both also contain potassium, which is especially important during a flare. Ginger enhances the warm flavor of the soup—and also helps with digestion. The shiitake mushrooms are anti-inflammatory, while the miso offers probiotics to boost your microbiome, whether you have IBD or not.