Creamy Fortifying Cauliflower Soup

As delicious as it is super-easy to make, this one is full of protein, fiber, healthy fats, and some of the most health-giving spices around.

You will need

• 1 quart low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cans cannellini (or other white) beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for at least 5 minutes, and drained (if allergic, substitute chickpeas)
• 1 bulb (yes, a whole bulb) garlic, roughly chopped
• 5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 10 fresh sprigs of thyme (keep them whole!)
• 1 large fresh sprig of rosemary (keep this whole too!)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp red chili flakes
• 1 tbsp black pepper, coarse ground
• 1 tsp MSG or 2 tsp low-sodium salt
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Tightly tie up the sprigs of rosemary and thyme with kitchen twine (shining a bright light on it and asking it invasive questions is optional)

2) Heat some olive oil to a medium heat in your biggest sauté pan or similar. Add the onions, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring as necessary. We are not trying to outright caramelize them here, but we do want them browned a little.

3) Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

4) Add the vegetable stock, and stir, ensuring no onion is stuck to the base of the pan. Add the cauliflower, cashews, beans, nooch, pepper, turmeric, and MSG/salt, stirring to combine. Don’t worry if the cauliflower isn’t all submerged; it’ll be fine in a little while.

5) Add the herbs, submerging them in the soup (still tied up bouquet garni style).

6) Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes; the cauliflower will be soft when it’s ready.

7) Remove the bouquet garni, and blend the soup until thick and creamy. You can do this with an immersion blender, but to get the smoothest soup, you’ll need to use a stand blender. Either ensure yours is safe for hot liquids, or else allow to cool, blend, and reheat later. This is important, as otherwise your blender could explode.

8) Serve, using the lemon zest and chili for the garnish:

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Some Surprising Truths About Hunger And Satiety
• Level-Up Your Fiber Intake! (Without Difficulty Or Discomfort)
• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits?

Take care!