Creamy Tomato Soup

Creamy without the cream. No dairy necessary in my version of tomato soup — it’s vegan! The cauliflower base gives the soup a creamy color and a texture that won’t have you missing its moo’ing counterpart. There is also not a lick of oil in this recipe, so it’s great to have for an upset stomach, to nurse a cold, or to simply enjoy as a guilt-free snack, lunch, or a palette cleanser before a meal. Dried mint helps the soup keep a light and refreshing aftertaste.

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This soup glows.

Cauliflower: is a great source of vitamin C and manganese, which help protect from free radical damage and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, contains high amounts of the anti-inflammatory vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids, promotes cerebro- and cardiovascular health, contains 3.35 grams of dietary fiber in just one boiled cup, and is also a good source of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic avid, proteins, phosphorus and potassium.

This is how to use it in a comforting soup:

Vegan Creamy Tomato Soup

by Aylin @ Glow Kitchen

Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • 1/2 head cauliflower
  • 3 medium-sized tomatoes
  • 4 scallions
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp dried mint
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • Dried mint for garnish

Instructions

Roughly chop the cauliflower and stemmed tomatoes. Peel off the top layer of each scallion and chop off the roots. Roughly chop the scallions as well. Add the vegetables to a large pot and fill with water until the top of the water reaches the top of the vegetables, which will be about three cups, but will change depending on the size of your veggies.

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Add 1 tsp each of mint, sweet paprika, and coriander as well as 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

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Stir the soup until the spices are distributed and close the lid of the pot and let simmer on medium-low heat for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is fully cooked and tender throughout.

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When the soup is finished, let it cool to room temperature before blending.

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Use an electronic hand mixer or mix in a blender until the chunks are gone and what’s left is a creamy pink soup. Garnish with dried mint.

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Enjoy!

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Bon Appetit!

xo Aylin

Pink Cauliflower Dip

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Sometimes the only thing that makes  a vegetable appealing is everything…but it. A flavorful dressing, sauce, or dip can make the difference between a blah, force-fed meal and one that you inhale in 5 minutes flat. This dip ensures the latter.

I hate cooking with cauliflower and broccoli. Sure, I love their taste (nothing beats a broccoli and cheese [and lots of it] casserole), but they’re tough, often a hit-or-miss in terms of cooking properly, and can get messy when preparing.

But, I found that by steaming in a covered saucepan with only 1-inch deep water boiling at the bottom, cooks these cruciferous vegetables quickly and hassle-free.

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I either eat them as such, seasoned with salt, pepper, nooch (nutritional yeast), and butter or I puree them to make something a bit more creative.

Pink Cauliflower Dip

by GK

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower, steamed
  • 1 tbsp chopped chives (leave some for garnish)
  • 2 tbsp chopped basil
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1/2 roasted beet
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Tonight, I tossed the cooled-down, steamed cauliflower (an entire head) with 1/2 roasted beet, 1 tbsp chopped chives, 2 tbsp chopped basil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp mustard, the juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper and 1/4 cup of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil.

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The texture is creamy, but light. The taste has an overtone of “what is that?!” (but totally in a good way). The mustard cuts the neutrality of the cauliflower and the garlic – to say nothing of its stellar color – gives it enough oomph to make it gather a crowd on any dinner table or appetizer spread at a party.

This recipe’s flavors are more pronounced when cold, but it pairs wonderfully with white fish or used as a thicker salad dressing for otherwise uninspired greens.

My dip was in good company, aside some broccoli that had been steamed and cooked with garlic. Garnish with chives.

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Enjoy this versatile dip!

xo Aylin

Sushi, no rice

 

BUT, you won’t miss it. Nothing cauliflower can’t fix.

A party favorite. A feast for the eyes, a delight to the taste, and a gift for your body.

Sushi (almost 100% raw, vegan, rice-free)

Ingredients:

– 1 cup cauliflower, chopped or food-processed into little pieces

– 1 carrot

– 1 cucumber

– 1 red bell pepper

– 1 avocado

– 2 stalks green onion

– 3 tbsp soy sauce

– 1/2 tbsp shredded ginger

– nori sheets (however many the vegetable output can fit)

Directions:

Fire the pepper while you prepare the rest of the vegetables, making sure to turn it occasionally until it is completely cooked through (blackened).

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Slice the vegetables into even-sized slices.

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When the pepper is done, throw it into a paper bag for a few minutes, allowing it to steam from its own heat. This will make removing the skin a breeze.

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Then chop it like the rest of the vegetables.

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Food process the cauliflower. This will be the “rice”.

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You want to roll the nori with the horizontal lines.

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Begin to layer as such:

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Roll tightly, folding the nori unto itself as you go.

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Wet the edge with a bit of water to help it stick closed.

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Slice carefully.

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So good!!

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Combine the soy sauce with fresh ginger. Then, go for a swim…

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Enjoy!

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Bon Appetit!

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xo Aylin