Creamy Asparagus and Cauliflower Soup

As you know (or may not know) I love soup and am happy to eat it even in the spring and summer! 

I was recently introduced to a delicious asparagus soup at a friend's dinner party! I couldn't wait to get the recipe and share!

IN MY KITCHEN - JANUARY

Sherry at Sherry's Picking hosts a monthly share called IN MY KITCHEN where anyone can participate.

This is what's IN MY KITCHEN right now for January. 

I have a few fresh herbs in my kitchen because I wanted to make a quinoa tabouleh salad for New Year's Eve for a dinner party. 

Creamy Cauliflower Soup Using Frozen Cauliflower

It's soup season and cauliflower makes a really tasty soup that requires very little effort on your part especially because I use frozen cauliflower right from the bag and yes it comes out great! 

If you are looking for ways to take a few shortcuts in your homemade cooking, this soup may be just what you need. It cuts down on the work but not on the nutrients.

Let's face it- there is nothing like a pot of homemade soup to bring family and friends together in the winter!

Don't want to use frozen cauliflower? 

You can cut up two medium-large cauliflowers into florets and cook them a little longer. I've done it both ways!

However, I always keep frozen cauliflower in the freezer. I'm able to purchase a 1 pound bag of organic frozen cauliflower at Whole Foods Market for just $1.99/bag. Since we eat out quite often in Florida, my fresh produce often goes bad before I get to cook it, therefore I use frozen vegetables most of the time.

Lately, I've been finding that a variety of frozen produce works great in soups and is a real time and mess saver! Truthfully, I don't notice any difference in the final taste either. 

If you don't care for cauliflower, try my  green bean soup (link to recipe) made with frozen green beans which is real easy and tastes exceptional.

White Vegetables Are Loaded With Nutrients 

For this delicious pure white vegan soup, I used onions, cauliflower, garlic powder, and a large parsnip. It's a white soup made with all white vegetables. 

• Onions offer protective antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, fiber, and nutrients. Great during cold and flu season.
• Parsnips are a cousin of the carrot and offers excellent fiber as well as anti-inflammatory properties and immune boosting Vitamin C. My mother used to use parsnip in many of her homemade soups. 

Cauliflower Is A Powerful Cruciferous Vegetables 

 Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, arugula, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, boo choy, and collards greens provide valuable antioxidants that are thought to help boost immunity against diseases such as cancer. These are great vegetables to include in your daily diet.

The flavor of this soup is mild and creamy and not only delivers a bowlful of cruciferous goodness but also feels comforting and soothing to the tummy. A perfect choice to warm you up on a cold day. Of course being in Florida, the weather is mild and warm, but I still love to eat soup.

Another bonus is that this soup is really low in calories and carbs too! It's a perfect soup if you are following WW. 

This recipe makes about 4-6 bowls of soup. If you are cooking for one or two, simply cut the recipe in half. I cook for two, but we do not mind eating soup two days in a row. 

Garnishes Add Flavor Too

Once you make this soup, you could experiment with adding additional garnishes such as chopped dill, parsley, scallions, gluten free croutons, GF crackers, seeds or nuts. 

Instant Pot or Stove Top Works

I make all my soups in the Instant Pot, but you could easily make this soup on the stove top. 

Ingredients: 

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped

1 large parsnip, washed, peeled and diced small

2.5 bags of organic frozen cauliflower florets (1 pound bags) 

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

5 cups of vegetable broth, divided

Sprinkle (or more to taste) of ground sage (or substitute another spice that you like or have on hand) to each bowl before serving.

Cracked pepper to taste 

Directions for Instant Pot 

Add onions, parsnip, and 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to the insert liner of the Instant Pot. Press sauté and sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring. Add frozen cauliflower, garlic powder, remaining vegetable broth, and cracked pepper, stir well.  Secure lid, cancel sauté and press to pressure cook for 1 minute. 

When done, release steam manually according to the manufacturers directions. When all steam is released, carefully remove the lid. Using an immersion blender to blend the soup (right in the IP or pot) until creamy. Adjust seasoning (extra salt, pepper, garlic powder) and add garnishes of your choice.

Stove Top Directions

Sauté the onions and parsnip in vegetable broth. Add cauliflower, garlic powder, remaining broth and pepper. Cook covered until cauliflower is soft. Use an immersion blender to blend to creamy. 

My Soups Cookbook is Available On Amazon 

If you are a follower of my blog, you know that I LOVE soup and published a plant-based soups cookbook (affiliate link to Amazon)

 with over 80 easy and delicious soup recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and meet kosher-parve requirements as well.

MY NOTES

1. All of my recipes on my blog are gluten-free, vegan, and oil-free (since 2020); and prior recipes are all gluten-free and vegetarian or vegan.

2. This is a dairy-free creamy thick soup 

3. Variation Options: Add some oat milk to the soup if you like

4. I buy parsnips by the pound in Whole Foods, but they are available in most markets (sometimes in a bag like carrots).

5. I used sage as a spice for this light bland soup- if you don't have sage in your cupboard (who does?) try a spice of your choice - thyme? 

6. Hi to Vicki

7. Hi to Laurala 

My two good friends who religiously read my blog- Love you both and appreciate your support 💖

Another Parsnip Recipe

Chickpea Spinach Noodle Soup (Vegan) 

Baked Cauliflower in Tahini Sauce

The combination of cauliflower in a tahini sauce is amazingly delicious. After assembling the ingredients, I baked it in a casserole dish in the oven for 20 minutes.

I recently was invited to lunch at a friend's home in our condo building. Suzanne is from Morocco and is one fabulous cook. She made all kinds of salads and interesting dishes.

She served many traditional Moroccan salads, such as a cooked beet salad, a cooked carrot salad, a cucumber and onion salad, a tomato salad with cilantro and herbs, red pepper salad, and a hot rice and vegetable salad. 

The star of her luncheon recipes (for me) was a baked cauliflower and tahini sauce casserole that I just loved. (she also had a platter of fish and a platter of meat- which of course I did not eat).

Like most good cooks, Suzanne's recipe was in her head and she did not have precise measurements. I wanted to duplicate it, so I had to experiment. I also wanted to reduce the fat content. This is what I did. 

Tahini, like natural peanut butter, often separates in the jar when it sits on the shelf- leaving a layer of oil and a layer of paste. To reduce the calories and fat, I poured off the oil and discarded it. The thick paste that was left was not as rich tasting or creamy as with the oil, but still had the flavor.

That's a lot of oil

However, Suzanne's recipe was made with full fat tahini - if you prefer that, do not discard the oil when it separates. Simply stir it back in. It will be a richer, creamier sauce.

Cauliflower: 

Cut up a large cauliflower into large floretes and steam the floretes  until firm soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Lower fat less rich tasting tahini sauce : 

3 tablespoons of tahini  (I poured off any oil from the top of jar)

1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 cup of almond milk 

1/4 cup of aquafaba (the liquid from cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas) or water

1 tablespoon of non GMO corn starch

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

Suzanne's tahini richer sauce: 

1/2 cup of  tahini paste

1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon of garlic powder 

1/2 cup of water or more by the tablespoon if needed for consistency

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

Salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

Directions: 

Place the cooked cauliflower in a baking dish. Pour 1 cup of tahini sauce over the cauliflower distributing oner all of the cauliflower and bake in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. Serve and Enjoy 

Sharing this post on Weekend Cooking at The Intrepid Reader and Baker

Cauliflower with Creamy Lemon Sauce-Zero points and Vegan

If you are a lemon lover and looking for an idea to perk up your plain vegetables, this creamy lemon sauce over cauliflower is not to be ignored. 

Cauliflower and Za'atar - A tasty side dish

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Dressing

Whole roasted cauliflower makes a lovely presentation, is easy to make, and tastes amazing. 

It gets nice and crispy on the outside, nice and soft on the inside, and is easy to cut up and serve, even though I like to display it first whole. In addition, I make a simple tahini dressing that I drizzle across the cauliflower or used as a dip for after you cut up the pieces. 

Couldn't seem to get my toe out of the photo

Instant Pot Aloo Gobi ( cauliflower recipe)

Aloo Gobi is a simple cauliflower and potato recipe that is exotically spiced and an absolutely delicious side or entree. It is a Punjabi Indian dish that is a cinch to make in the Instant Pot! #vegan