Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Author: Heather Leno
Servings 6 3/4 cup Prep Time 20 minutes  Cook Time 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:

6 cups florets*approximately 1 small-medium head

1 tsp minced garlic

2/3 cup celery

2/3 cup sweet onion

3  3/4 cups hot water

5 tsp McKay’s or similar chicken-like seasoning

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

3/4 tsp salt — to taste

1/3 cup raw cashews

unsweetened almond milk if needed

Instructions:
  1. Rinse the cauliflower and break into small pieces.
  2. In a 2-quart sauce pan, sauté the onion and celery for five minutes in a very small amount of water, adding a tablespoon at a time to keep from sticking.
  3. Add the garlic and sauté two minutes longer.
  4. Add the water, seasonings and cauliflower, bring to a boil, cover with a lid, turn down the heat and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes just until the cauliflower is tender.  Turn off heat, add the cashews and let it rest covered for 5 minutes.
  5. Carefully drain off part of the liquid and set aside. Pour the remaining contents into a blender and blend until it is totally creamy and smooth.
  6. Combine with the reserved liquid. It should not be thick, but pleasantly creamy. If the soup is too thick, add unsweetened almond milk until desired consistency.
  7. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve with croutons.
Notes:

*For greatly enhanced nutritional benefit, chop cauliflower into bit-sized chunks and let it stand for 45 minutes before cooking.  This is also beneficial with broccoli.