The ultimate bowl of comfort food, made with a decadent creamy broth and loaded with an array of health-boosting spices and vegetables. Be sure to soak the cashews in water the night before (or for at least 2 hours) so they are ready when you plan to make the soup.
FOR THE SOUP:
- 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 6 cups vegetable broth, divided
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet or yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potato, regular potato, or butternut squash
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 (28-ounce/796-mL) can diced tomatoes, with their juices (or sub with fresh tomatoes – see blog post for my how-to)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-1 1/2 tablespoons Homemade 10-Spice Blend (recipe follows), to taste
- Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 to 2 cups baby spinach or destemmed torn kale leaves
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or other beans, drained and rinsed (kidney beans are fun too)
HOMEMADE 10-SPICE BLEND (MAKES 1/2 CUP):
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
- Place cashews in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Soak the cashews overnight, or for at least 2 hours. Drain and rinse the cashews.
- In a blender, combine the soaked and drained cashews with 1 cup of vegetable broth and blend on the highest speed until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Season generously with Herbamare or sea salt.
- Add the carrots, bell pepper, potato, celery, and diced tomatoes with their juices, the remaining 5 cups broth, the cashew cream, and 1-1.5 tablespoons of 10-spice blend. Stir well to combine . Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Season with salt and black pepper and add the bay leaves.
- Simmer the soup, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and black pepper. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the spinach/kale and drained beans.
- To freeze, ladle the soup into containers (leaving 1-inch for expansion), cool slightly, secure lid and place in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
Tips: 1) If you don’t wish to make the 10-Spice Blend, feel free to use your favorite store-bought Cajun or Creole seasoning mix and add to taste. 2) You will have leftover spice blend. Store it in a container and keep it handy anytime you want to spice up a dish! It’s great for pasta, soup, tofu seasoning, stir-fry, and more. 3) When thawed, this soup’s broth looks a bit grainy, but rest assured when it’s heated up again it will return to its former smoothness.
From Oh She Glows blog. Verbatim because it’s so good I didn’t have to modify anything!
Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2014/10/02/10-spice-vegetable-soup-freezer-friendly-vegan-gluten-free/#ixzz3utaEz0eH.
