Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Soup

This soup was delicious and simple! You need to make sure to start the cashews soaking ahead of time, but besides that it's one of the quickest things I've made in a while. So refreshing in so many ways : )

Something that will never get old about my new place: using the Vitamix blender.

Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Soup
from lunchboxbrunch.com

2 servings

Ingredients:
3 cups broccoli
2 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup raw cashews
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs nutritional yeast (optional, for cheezy flavor)
salt and pepper, to taste
smoked paprika, to garnish

prep
Soak raw cashews in salted water over night.

Instructions:
1. Set a pot of water to boil for steaming broccoli.
2. Wash broccoli and peel stem. Cut stem pieces into 6ths width-wise (so they steam quicker) and cut the head into large florettes (these will be blended, do not need to be perfect).
3. Steam broccoli stems for 5 minutes then throw in florettes and steam for another 5 until bright green. Reserve a couple small florets for garnish, if desired.
4. Mince garlic and drain and rinse cashews.5. In a high-speed blender, blend together broccoli, vegetable stock, cashews, garlic, and nutritional yeast. Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with paprika.

Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup

This is a nice light and cool (and cooling) soup for the summer, to help use up some of those in-season cucumbers and fresh garden herbs! I used garlic chives from my garden.

Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup
from Filozofia Smaku (Philosohpy taste)
serves 3-4

Ingredients:
250 g. cucumbers
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs fresh dill, chopped (or 1 Tbs. dried)
4 Tbs chives, chopped (1 Tbs reserved to garnish)
1 tsp. lemon juice
400 mL plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil + more to garnish

Instructions:
1. Peel cucumbers (optional), remove seeds if they are large, and grate.
2. Combine all ingredients, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Chill soup before serving. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh chives, and a sprig of fresh dill.

Roasted Apple and Carrot Soup

Great fall-time soup. I never would have though of roasting apples, but I really liked it! Also the browned butter with paprika is genius. Adds such a complex flavor with so little effort.

Roasted Apple and Carrot Soup
from An Edible Mosaic

Ingredients:
1 lb. carrots, scrubbed, ends trimmed, and chopped into 1" long pieces
1 medium-large onion, peeled and chopped into large chunks
1 medium-large apple, cored and quartered
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt + more (to taste)
1/4 tsp. black pepper, divided
2 Tbs. butter, divided
2 (large) cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. ginger, grated
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. paprika
 Optional: sour cream or chives to garnish

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.
2. Line a cookie sheet (if desired). Toss carrots, onion, apple, olive oil, salt, and half the black pepper together and place on baking sheet in an even layer. Roast veggies in the oven until tender and partially golden (~30 mins), stirring half way through.
3. Melt 1 Tbs. butter in a medium-sized soup pot over medium-heat. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other half of black pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add stock and roasted veggies and turn off heat.
4. Puree soup with an immersion blender, or a regular blender. Transfer back to pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Salt to taste.
5. In a butter-melting pan, add remaining 1 Tbs. butter and paprika, and whisk until butter is browned (until it smells nutty and brown bits appear).

Spicy Vegetable Soup

This is a pretty basic soup, but delicious none-the-less! Great use of veggies, delicious, low-cal, and as spicy as you want it. If you want more interesting soup, try adding spices that won't be over-powered by the sriracha sauce (or don't add the sauce if you choose to add other spices).
^^ Size of pan you want to use
White and translucent onion/garlic/celery mix

Cute little bullion cube! I searched so long for vegetable bullion... Thank you new downtown grocery store!

Spicy Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
1 T. butter
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 white onion, diced
6 stalks celery, sliced 1/2" thick
5 small potatoes, cubed
6 small vegetable bullion cubes
sriracha sauce (to taste)

Instructions:
1. Heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat.
2. When butter is melted, add garlic, onion, and celery. Sauté all until white and translucent.
3. While the veggies are sautéing, microwave the potatoes for 2 mins 30 sec on high heat.
3. When sautéing is done, add 8 cups water, the bullion cubes, and the potatoes to the pot. Set on high heat. Let the broth reach boiling, then turn off heat.
4. Add sriracha sauce to taste. (I added 2 T. to my soup)
5. Let soup cool for a bit, then serve. Top with cheese tortellini if desired