Cream of Vegetable Soup
Dairy free cream of veggies soup
Great for vegetarians and plant based diets!
This week was all about experimentation! I tried a lot of new recipes. I find cooking super relaxing and therapeutic. And soups are not only good for the soul, but also for your digestive system! This is a gut friendly soup, with lots of fiber and nutrients. It’s dairy free, so great if you are lactose intolerant. You can sub chicken stock with vegetable stock and make it completely vegetarian or vegan.
Here’s what you will need for this recipe:
1 medium size yellow squash
1/2 head of fresh cauliflower (diced up in florets)
1/2 cup of butternut squash (if frozen, let it thaw for 10 minutes)
1 liter of chicken stock (I used Trader Joes organic chicken stock)
3/4 of unsweetened canned coconut milk
1/2 onion
4 garlic cloves (minced or grated)
4 baby dutch yellow potatoes (peeled)
1 carrot - chopped and/or grated
3 stalks of celery
avocado oil for cooking (I use the trader joe’s avocado oil cooking spray)
seasoning: turmeric, paprika, kosher salt, black lemon pepper, cumin, rosemary garlic sea-salt mix, bay leaf
Here’s what you’ll need in terms of kitchen tools:
1 large cooking pot
2 baking dishes
garlic press (I’ve tried a bunch and this OXO Good Grips is the best)
cooking spoon (I like to use a long wooden spoon - reminds me of grandma’s cooking!)
hand blender (I just bought this one and it’s great!)
Cutting board, bowls, aluminum sheet or parchment paper, knife, etc
Let’s start cooking! This recipe takes about 45 minutes to make with prep and depending on how quickly your stove heats up. Make sure you wash all the vegetables prior to cooking.
First step is to bake the squash and the cauliflower. This will soften the vegetables and make it easier to cook them. While they cook, you can prep the ‘mis en place.’
Peel the squash and slice in circular pieces. Then slice horizontally and vertically to create little geometric shapes - cubes or triangles. Season with salt and pepper and place a baking dish. Spray a bit of olive oil on top. Not too much, that way it’s not greasy.
Cut 1/2 head of cauliflower into smaller florets. Season with salt and pepper and line on a baking dish Drizzle a bit of olive oil.
Places both baking dishes on the top rack of the oven and roast at 400F for 15 minutes until the vegetables are soft and visibly roasted.
The second step is creating your ‘mis en place’ (pronounced ‘meez ahn plahs), a french term for having all your ingredients measured, washed, cut, peeled and set aside. I am a big fan of this step because it makes cooking so much easier!
Dice up the 1/2 onion and 4 garlic cloves. If you don’t have a garlic crusher, then use a knife to dice in small pieces. Place them both in a small bowl and set aside.
Peel the carrot. Slice the peeled carrot along with 3 stalks of celery into thin pieces. Place both in separate bowls and set aside.
Peel the potatoes and dice them up in small cubes (potatoes cook faster when cut up in smaller pieces). Place them in a bowl and set aside.
The third step is cooking!
Coat the cooking pot with spray on avocado oil and turn the on heat to high.
Let the pot heat up for a minute or two before you add any ingredients
Add in the onions and garlic and sautee on high heat until the onions become translucent (approximately 3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. This is where the wooden spoon comes in handy!
Add in the celery and continue to sautee but lower the heat to medium for another 4 min. Add a bit more salt and avocado oil to make sure the vegetables don’t stick to the pot.
Add a droplet of chicken stock and continue to stir (heat should be on medium or medium/low)
Add in the squash and cauliflower (at this point, you would either have taken them out of the oven to cool or just about to take them out)
Sautee the cauliflower and squash along with the other vegetables on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. You can add a splash of broth so that the vegetables don’t stick to the pot. Add a pinch of sea salt and season with turmeric, rosemary garlic powder, and paprika..
Add the potatoes, followed by 1 liter of chicken stock. Up the heat to a tad higher, and bring the chicken stock to boiling point. Then lower the heat to medium and continue to boil for 5-7 minutes.
Add 1 can of coconut milk and bring it to boil once again. Lower the heat immediately to a low medium and let it boil for another 5-7 minutes. Add in additional salt or paprika according to taste.
Add in the butternut squash. If it’s thawed, it goes in last because squash cooks quite quickly. If it’s raw, you can add it along with the potatoes as it would need longer time to boil.
Continue to cook the soup for another 5-7 minutes on medium heat. Add some bay leaves for taste.
Stir occasionally and taste the vegetables - if the potato is soft, then the vegetables are ready.
Set aside and let it cool down for a few minutes. Take out the bay leaves.
Get your hand blender and blend on LOW to avoid any splashes.
Serve your cream of vegetables with some dill, roasted pumpkin or sesame seeds.
Bon apetit!