A healthy and beautiful soup that tastes terrific!
If you want a superbly creamy vegan vegetable soup, plan on using cauliflower and cashews. These are vegan mainstays to avoid the use of cream or dairy products. But the real star of this soup is the addition of turmeric. It’s the wonder spice that makes nearly anything more yellow and beneficial for your health. If you’ve never tried turmeric before, it can be an acquired taste. It’s a little bitter. Start with ½ teaspoon and go up to 2 tablespoons for the anti-inflammatory benefits for two servings of 500 milligrams of curcumin for each, the active ingredient. But, once you do acquire a taste for it, you’ll be appreciating its’ numerous health benefits and medicinal uses.
Why you should use turmeric as a natural medicine:
Turmeric has been used for centuries as a natural treatment for depression. It may also prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain. In addition, it has been used as a preventative to keep metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer, particularly prostate cancer. And, because of its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric is well known as a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Consult your physician for treating yourself for these serious conditions. But, just about anyone can benefit from it as a natural liver detoxifier. And, some people (like me), can experience slight dizziness from it. So, I think it’s best to build up your usage gradually, if needed.
- 2 T Olive oil
- 1 Yellow Onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3-4 cloves Garlic, chopped (I used 3 large)
- (1) 10oz. pkg Cauliflower florets (or, 3 cups)
- ½ C Raw cashews
- ½ - 1 t Turmeric
- 3 C Water
- 1 t Kosher sea salt
- a squeeze of lemon juice
- Garnish with fresh chopped baby spinach and baked crispy chickpeas (or nuts), if desired.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, garlic, cauliflower, cashews, and turmeric.
- Sauté on med heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the water (I usually start with 2 cups) and salt. Simmer until softened.
- Transfer the soup to a blender (in batches) and blend into a creamy consistency.
- Return to the soup pot and add any additional water (remaining 1 cup) if you need to thin it out.
- Taste to adjust seasonings with more salt (if needed) and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Top with crispy chickpeas (or toasted nuts), and baby spinach to garnish.
You might also like this recipe for Golden Latte for colds and flu. Or, for more soups, see the soup gallery. Or, for a Roasted Cauliflower recipe.
