Carrot-Ginger Vegan Soup with Roast Veggies

I have a friend who is vegan - we all have at least one, right?  And, every time I have him over, I struggle with what to make that is not going to drive me around the bend with complexity or weird ingredients.  This vegan soup is delicious, colorful, healthy, and relatively easy.  And, when I'm not among vegans, I miiiiiiight throw some sausage in there.  Even my picky son went back for seconds when I made this last night - not a vegan in sight, but it felt like great cold weather food.  It's that good.  Thanks Food Network!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling or spraying
• 2 scallions, sliced (this works with shallots too, if you have those)
• 2 TB peeled fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed or chopped
• 5 whole carrots or 25-ish baby carrots, chopped
• salt and peper
• 1x 14 oz can light coconut milk
• 1x 15 oz can cannellini beans, undrained
• 3c of water or veggie broth
• 1 tray full of veggies you like to roast, cut into 1" chunks or florets - they recommend acorn squash, but I usually do broccoli & cauliflower, and that's great
• 2 slices crusty bread, cut into 1-in cubes, and more bread to serve with the soup

Put roasting veggies on a cookie tray, spray or drizzle with olive oil, then add salt & pepper.  Put in the oven at 425, and set a timer for 15 min.  Every 15 min, check them and turn them over.  Assume they'll need to cook 45 min, or until they are soft and the edges are a little crispy.  When you hit what will be the last 10-15 min, add the bread cubes, spray with olive oil again, and roast them with the veggies.

Meanwhile, coat the bottom of a dutch oven with the 3 TB olive oil.  Put in scallions / shallots, and cook for a minute, then add garlic & ginger and cook for another minute.  This may spit a little, so be careful.  Then, add the carrots, coconut milk, beans (including bean goo), and water / broth.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 10 min, or until carrots are soft enough to be cut easily with a fork.  

Take an immersion blender and blend this mixture thoroughly, until there are no more carrot chunks in it.  Put in the roasted veggies and bread cubes, and serve.  Yesssss! 🙌🏽