Creamy Broccoli soup

While sitting in the train for 30 min. I was looking outside and the sight was so beautiful. Everything outside was covered with snow, the hills, trees, houses and all this seeing while the sun's shining - it remainded me of my winter holidays in the swiss mountains when being a little girl.

On monday my father has his birthday and when being back home I went over to my sisters house to discus what we shall do for dinner. Afterward I went home and layed myself on the sofa - I was so tired.

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This soup is gorgeously healthy.  It’s packed with bright green broccoli and cashews.

When raw cashews are soaked in water and blended with soupy ingredients, the nuts simulate cream.  It really is a remarkable fact.  Cashews blended with broccoli in this recipe makes a thick, flavorful and totally healthful soup.
 

Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for 1 hour then drained
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 heads of broccoli, chopped into bite-size florets
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard seeds
fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
about 4 cups of water

1. Soak raw cashews in water for 1 hour.  They’ll soften slightly.  Drain.

2. Steam broccoli until tender.  A fork should be able to easily pierce the flesh.  Remove from steamer and set aside.

3. In a large saucepan over medium heat,  add olive oil, and onions.  Cook until onions are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for one minute more.  Add cumin, salt, mustard seed, and black pepper and cook for about 30 seconds.  Add cooked broccoli florets, and remove from heat.

4. In a blender, add half of the softened cashews, about 1/2 of the broccoli mixture, and 2 cups of water.  Blend until smooth.  Pour blended soup into a large soup pan.  Blend the remaining cashews, broccoli, and 2 more cups of water.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into pan.  Heat over low heat.  Add lemon and worcestershire sauce.  Taste and season as necessary.  Add more water for a thinner consistency.

Serve warm.   

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Roasted Vegetables on Creamy Polenta

Serves 2

Squash, peppers, eggplant, bell peppers (whatever you have-at least 3 vegetables per person)
1 Red onion
2 Large Tomatoes
Fresh basil for garnish
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450. Slice zucchini, crookneck, eggplant or peppers in long thin strips. Slice tomatoes. Cut onions and round squash in wedges.

2. Drizzle olive oil over the veggies, just enough to prevent sticking. If you have a spray oil, that would be best.

3. Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper. Spread out veggies in a single layer on cookie sheets or roasting pans and roast for 15 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the veggies and roast for another 10 - 15 minutes until browned around the edges.
Serve on polenta, garnished with fresh basil.

Creamy Polenta
3 cups filtered water
1 cup polenta
1/4 cup Tofutti non-dairy cream cheese (or sub the dairy one)
1 tablespoon Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spread (or sub butter)
Salt to taste

1. Bring water to a boil in heavy pot.
Slowly pour polenta into boiling water as you whisk it.
2. Turn heat to slow and simmer until polenta is thick, about 15 minutes.
3. Turn off heat and stir in cream cheese and buttery spread.
Salt to taste.