Potlucks. They are a nightmare for people with food allergies or dietary restrictions. For two years, I didn’t eat at our World Language Department potlucks – I was the party pooper that brought her own meal. One Spanish teacher always used to bring a broccoli cheddar soup made from a mix; however, I can’t eat that obviously because I don’t eat wheat, dairy or eggs. I decided that the broccoli cheddar soup tradition needed a healthy refresh since another colleague would get migraines from the MSG in the soup mix and couldn’t eat it either.
Something that I have missed since changing my diet is a creamy broccoli cheddar soup. I realized that I used to go to Panera Bread A LOT when my 3-year-old suddenly blurted out my phone number at the drive-through window for their rewards program!!! So I decided to make a gluten-free vegan plant-based creamy broccoli soup in a slow cooker not only to keep our potluck tradition but also to satisfy my cravings! Somehow my vision changed into a Creamy Curried Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup!
This Creamy Curried Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup is spicy, vegan, and gluten-free with flavors of lime and ginger; adjust the cayenne spice to meet your preferences.
Credit: myrealdish.com
Ingredients
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery
- 1/2 large onion
- 1 red pepper
- 2 cups baby potatoes (I used red and yukon from the Dynamic Duo Little Potato Company)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic or 3 large cloves
- 1 can coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk (I used Thai Kitchen)
- 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- 7 oz soft tofu
- 1 leak
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or less for less spice)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow curry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 lime (juice of 1 lime)
- 8 oz cauliflower – use this recipe to bake your own baked cauliflower or use frozen grilled or roasted cauliflower; I’ve used 1/2 of this bag from Trader Joe’s:
- 8 oz of frozen broccoli
- 4 drops Young Living Ginger Vitality Essential Oil (you can also use 2 tablespoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 3/4 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper (and extra salt and pepper to taste)
- 16 ounces gluten-free veggie stock (I use Kitchen Basics because it’s the only brand here in the US that is both gluten and MSG free).
Directions
- If you are going to bake the cauliflower and not use frozen, heat your oven and start preparing it first. Follow the recipe here.
- Chop carrots, red pepper, leaks (minus the stalks, just the white bulbs), celery, onion, garlic, and potatoes.
- Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan & sauté vegetables with ¼ teaspoon Redmond Real Salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Sauté for 5 – 7 minutes until veggies are tender.
- Move vegetable mixture to the crock pot. Add the nutritional yeast, turmeric, curry, dried parsley, juice of 1 lime, 1/2 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt, and 4 drops Young Living Ginger Vitality Essential Oil.
- Pour in the vegetable stock.
- Purée tofu and coconut cream in the Vitamix or blender until smooth.
- Pour tofu cream mixture into the crock pot and combine the cauliflower and broccoli.
- Cook in the slower cooker on low for 6 hours.
- After it is done, scoop portions into the Vitamix or blender. You will have to purée it in sections and transfer it to a big serving bowl.
- Salt & Pepper to taste.
- Serve and Enjoy!
- You can read about my dish on cooking with essential oils here, and can purchase them here. Let me teach you how to use them in many ways, both in and out of the kitchen!
- Curry – if you are using yellow curry and it’s not coming out the way you like it – an easy fix is with ginger, coconut cream, or lime! These ingredients will help your curry taste just right! So if it’s not the flavor you want in your soup, play around a little more with those three ingredients to get your dish just how you like it!
So after I was drinking a cold brew and a smoothie at the pool the other day, I decided to just put my coffee in my smoothie. It’s like a chunky monkey smoothie, but with mocha delicious coffee and some extra cacao, because there can never be enough chocolate. Makes me feel like I’m drinking a healthier version of a frappucino.
