Cream of Whatever Soup
It is important to have plant based alternatives for animal products that can offer equally as satisfying flavor and texture. The properties of animal products are often advantageous to achieving desirable consistencies and taste. Such is the case with dairy products by lending their palatable flavor and mouth-feel in many cream based soups. Achieving these qualities with plant foods is possible by layering dishes with ingredients with similar characteristics. In this dish cashews are used to replace the cream. These nuts are high in fat and slightly sweet which gives a creamy constancy and taste comparable to dairy cream. Nutritional yeast can be found in health stores and is often fortified with vitamin B12, making it an excellent addition to a plant based diet. This ingredient's flavor mimics that of Parmesan cheese and can add a decadent layer of flavor to any dish. Add your choice of vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, celery, corn, asparagus, broccoli mushrooms or any combination to add texture, nutrients and flavor. By replacing animal products with plants, food becomes more nutrient dense, disease preventative and environmentally friendly. And in regards to taste, this recipe trumps any canned soup version 10 times over.
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Equipment: Nutrabullet Rx or
Blender Sauce pot Ingredients: 1 cup vanilla flaxseed milk (or other dairy alternative) 1 cup vegetable stock 2 cups chosen vegetables (corn, mushroom, broccoli, potato) 1/2 cup cashews 3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast 1/2 cup white beans (Northern, pinto) 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tsp. Dried Italian seasoning blend 1 garlic clove 1 Tbsp. olive or coconut oil |
Directions: Begin by roasting the garlic in the oven at 350 degrees. Cook until the clove has softened. This step is important because raw garlic will over power the more decadent flavors of this soup. Dice and measure out 2 cups of your chosen vegetable(s). Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add the vegetables when hot. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and sauté until softened. Vegetables could also be baked if desired. Toss in the oil and bake on 350 degrees in a tin foil pocket until softened. Once the garlic is soft and it add the remaining ingredients, accept the Italian seasoning, to either the blender or Nutrabullet Rx. If you are using the Nutrbullet puree on the soup setting. When finished add in the cooked vegetables and stir to combined. If you are using the blender puree until the ingredients are very well blended together. Pour into a sauce pan with the vegetables and cook on medium heat. Allow soup to come to a simmer and cook for several minutes before removing from the heat. Lastly, stir in the Italian seasoning and garnish with scallions or chives if desired.
