Healthy Carrot Souffle
Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg lend aromatic undertones, while silken tofu lends a luscious, almost velvety texture to this Healthy Carrot Souffle.
Food aversions were no laughing matter when I was a kid – and a lot of plotting and planning went into managing them!
When I was a kid, I would eat any vegetable so long as it was in a curry! If beet curry or carrot curry or spinach and lentil curry was on my plate, you bet I would be licking it clean.
But, if I was given a carrot, I would bury it in one of my mom’s indoor plant pots; if I was given steamed spinach, I would squish as much of it as I could under the tablecloth (now I cringe at the thought of my mom having had to clean that mess up); if I was given a roasted beet, I used it to play fetch with my dog – when no-one was looking!
And my daughter was no different – while she didn’t go to the lengths I did, she nursed a hardcore dislike for all foods that were not white during early toddler-hood!
She would freak out at the crusts on bread; she would try peeling off the honey brown part of a perfectly sauteed chicken piece; if she could have lived off of egg whites, mac and cheese, yogurt, and milk – she would have been one happy 2 year old!
While I managed to talk trick her into trying different colored foods at home; whenever we went out, she would only eat mac and cheese.
Till this one time when we were at a little neighborhood diner, she accidentally tried some of the carrot souffle I had ordered – aaaand …guess what?….she was hooked! That carrot souffle quickly replaced the egg whites, mac and cheese, yogurt, and milk in her life!
While I wasn’t a fan of feeding her that carrot souffle on a daily basis back then (or now), I began experimenting with ways I could make a healthier and tasty version.
And that’s how this carrot and tofu souffle came about!
We have been enjoying this souffle over the years and I figured this would be the perfect dish to share with y’all when I was asked to join in on the “#SoyInspired for Thanksgiving” campaign.
Silken tofu lends a luscious, almost velvety texture to this souffle, absorbing and marrying the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg flavorings effortlessly, complementing the sweet carrots and eggs in this – making for one amazing taste experience. I have used whipped coconut topping, whipped cashew cream topping as well as whipped non-dairy topping (as pictured) on these souffles.
Disclosure: As a member of the Healthy Aperture Blogger Network, I was asked to participate in the “#SoyInspired for Thanksgiving” campaign on behalf of The Soyfoods Council. Though I received compensation for my time, all opinions herein are my very own.
Ingredients
- 6 carrots boiled and mashed
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 a pkg of silken tofu 1/2 lb
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Add mashed carrots, silken tofu, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, salt and sugar to a bowl and mix well with a hand mixer
- Pour into oven safe bowls and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes
- Let cool and top with topping of your choice or eat as is.
- This souffle stores well for upto 3 days in the refrigerator
I love the way you explained how this came to be. It is so imaginative, but now when I hear the history, it makes perfect sense. I’ve never had carrot souffle, but now I have to try it.
Wait – you haven’t had carrot souffle??? ever???
Yes, yes – you must try it (this version or the real deal) to me it’s one of those foods that falls under the “Don’t yuck my yum” category 😉
Btw, Thanks so much!
Yum! <3 This looks super good! I love throwing silken tofu into my recipes! 😀
Thanks so much Farrah!
Love how you incorporated tofu into this souffle – it’s beautiful!
Thanks so much Jeanette!
Carrots have always been one of my life long favorite veggie! The perfect vehicle for nut butter 😉
Rebecca – you sure are right about that combo!
Hahaha! I bet you had the happiest dog on the planet growing up. 🙂 One of our dogs LOVES fruit and veggies. He chomps lettuce and apples (only the green ones) like it’s his job…and he is SO loud when he chomps. It makes me laugh every single time. I love this souffle…it sounds delicious and easy, and, more importantly, it sounds perfect for Thanksgiving! Maybe you can bring it over when you come? 🙂
P.S. I can’t help but picture a pot full of carrot plants outside your door when you were a kid. Haha!
Goodness David – the plant that I hid those carrots in never grew much – my poor mom kept watering it and giving it plant food – but am thinking those carrots were clogging up the space for its roots!
Temps took a nose dive into the 20’s (teens with windchill) here in Atlanta – I’m thinking Saratoga is blanketed with that nasty white stuff we shall not mention – so you are gonna have to wait on these souffles till summer of 2015 – orI can always sendit with our friend-the mailman… 😉
Haha I will eat pretty much any vegetable in curry form also! But I will pretty much eat any vegetable in general. Love this carrot-stuffed souffle!
Curry so rules! 🙂 Thanks Joanne!
You tricked me! That totally looks like pumpkin!
Haha! You were too smitten with that bowl of Eric Winter! 😉
i don’t eat tofu a lot (unless it’s sprouted) but i do love how creamy it is in desserts. and like this, soooo creative! Great for those who need to be Dairy free.
Girl – lactose and I broke up – that shiz messed me up big time!
🙂
Thanks so much my friend!
haha my sister and I were both horrible with sneaking food to the dog and/or just straight up hiding it! My poor mom!!
This looks delicious! That texture – so light and fluffy looking!
Thanks so much Ashley!
Gah – back then I never thought how wrong I was – us crazy kids eh?! 🙂
That lovely shuffle is such a delicious and creative way to get vegetables and protein in. Great idea and the story is funny, kids are funny with their aversions. My daughter had an aversion to meat of any kind. Vegetables no problem, but meat made her sick. She grew out of it eventually but it took years.
Thanks Suzanne!
Kids sure are funny with their aversions – in my tweens I went through a no-meat face too, after my mom took me to a butcher!
Looks awesome..always wanted to try a carrot souffle but i can’t use eggs..your whipped topping looks so yum! And yes, this almost looks like sweet potatoes with that vibrant orange color!
Thank you Pragati!
Have you tried using “flax eggs” : mix of 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed with 3 tablespoons of water as 1 egg sub? I have used this in other recipes – but never in a souffle though. I hope that helps some…
Thanks so much for stopping by
I just noticed darn spell check changed Souffle to shuffle. Just wanted to let you know that. I downloaded a new operating system on my computer that has this really aggressive spell check system and it changes words and I don’t always catch it.
No worries Suzanne – I figured that’s what you meant – thanks for letting me know!
What a creative idea!! This looks and sounds delicious. I need to experiment with silken tofu more!
Thanks so much Kara – I sometimes use it where I would use Greek yogurt – like pancakes, muffins, etc – works quite well.
I’ve never had carrot souffle, but you have me curious about it. I love its pudding-like consistency. Thanks for sharing, Shashi.
Thanks so much Angie!
The carrot souffle we used to try at that restaurant was less pudding like – they used to use butter and flour in their version.
The texture of your souffle looks perfect! No wonder your daughter loves it! 😉
Thanks so much Marissa! Credit goes to that silken tofu 🙂
What a super creative recipe!!! Love this idea… and hey, if it’s kid tested and approved, you know you have a winner or a recipe!
Ha – that’s so true!
Thanks Chris!
I think your souffles are very pretty. The carrot gives them great colour. My daughter was also a very fussy eater. She used to pick the mushrooms out of bolognaise sauce and line them up around the edges of her plate. There were so many things she refused to eat. Fortunately, she’s turned the corner xx
Thanks Charlie! I so am glad to hear Arabella has turned the corner with her mushroom distaste – though the fact that she actually picked out all those mushrooms shows incredible patience and persistence! 🙂
xx
I remember trying tofu in a dessert for the first time a few years ago and being amazed at how creamy and undetectable it was. And I was a -nightmare- to cook for when I was a little kid. I wouldn’t tolerate any vegetables besides potatoes, corn, and [raw] carrots, and my mom had to leave the sauces and dressings off of most everything she gave me because I didn’t like anything overly herby or spicy. There was a time where I WAS living off mac and cheese, cereal, pancakes, and anything/everything sweet 😆
So, would it be wrong to live off “anything/everything sweet” if beets or pumpkin were involved? It’s like a salad in sweet form – right? 😉
Yumm- I’m imagining this to taste like a carrot cake (with a soufflé consistency obviously) and if I’m right, I am ALL over this- yum! I love your use of tofu in this to add a creamy texture. Although I’m yet to try adding it to desserts, I am a big fan of adding tofu to soups instead of cream- does the trick in terms of creaminess and also adds a nice dose of protein…win all round !
Hehe what a cute story! I can’t believe that you hid them in pots-very clever! And isn’t that cute how your daughter got into carrot souffle and suddenly the mac and cheese got replaced!
Haha that is too cute about all the places you hid food 🙂 Love that you are finding sneaky ways to get your daughter on board with different foods. This carrot souffle looks delicious! I love how light and fluffy it is! What a great idea to use silken tofu too!
I know this isn’t the point of the post, but those curry meatballs that just appeared on my sidebar OMG! Shashi! I have to make them. Only problem is that I absolutely suck at making curry. Every time I try, I fail. I need you to make some for me!! And throw in this carrot souffle too 😉
This is brilliant! Really creative recipe. Plus its color is gorgeous. Superb post — thanks.
I have only ever had carrot souffle one time, and it was DELICIOUS! Can’t wait to pin this one!-Ashley
So I bet your mom made a LOT of curies when you were a child, Shashi!!
I think you’ve surpassed yourself with this dessert. I would never have guessed that you could use tofu in a pudding. It’s got such a fabulous colour to it, too!
It would have never occurred to me to combine carrots and tofu but looking at the marvelous result I think it’s a brilliant idea!
What a creative and delicious looking souffle! I would never have thought to add carrots to a souffle, much less carrots AND tofu. What a great way to get your veggies and protein in one simple little dish! Great job!
I love both carrots and tofu…. but never taught of making a soufle with them! What a cool recipe! Once again I’m smitten with you creativity.
What a fabulous and delicious idea Shashi! Never had carrot souffle before but looking forward to try it 🙂
WOW! This is such a brave flavor combination for a souffle, I would have never had the idea to add carrot to a souffle, I am so used to my cheese souffle. Your carrot souffle looks so bright and intriguing, I can’t wait to try it out for myself.
The texture of this souffle is spot on! And the color, so vibrant! 🙂