Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Fennel

After being hit by all the cold snowy weather from Winter Storm Jonas, a bowl of this hearty, comforting Cauliflower Soup is the perfect thing to warm us up (especially after the hours Mark spent shoveling snow…). Not only does this soup hit the spot, but like all the other recipes we love to share it’s packed with amazing nutritional benefits.

The 411 on this Cauliflower Soup

Did you know that one serving of cauliflower contains 77 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. It’s also a good source of vitamin K, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, and manganese. In fact, if you missed my recent webinar: 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Detoxing, I talk about the importance of having cruciferous vegetables in your diet. Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous (or brassica or cabbage) family, which is important for detoxification support and anti-cancer protection due to many special constituents, e.g. sulfuring compounds.

You may notice that it’s also made with white potatoes. Over the past decade white potatoes (with or without skins) have become demonized in cooking – but we disagree. They have beneficial nutrients including a high level of Vitamin V. Just avoid the baking potatoes. So contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need avoid white potatoes even if you’re trying to lose weight. What you should avoid is loading them with butter, sour cream, cheese, and the like. White potatoes have many nutrients, including Vitamin C and are a staple in many cultures, but they are left unpeeled and they are cooked in water or steamed – it is important how you handle them. Baking skyrockets their glycemic impact and should be avoided. Eating them cold vastly decreases the effect on blood glucose. Picking organic white or red potatoes, keeping the skins on, and cooking them properly make a big difference. The only time I restrict nightshade family (which white potato is a member of) is in inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis because of the alkaloids that can implant in joints or during our detox program. However, if you’re simply not a fan of white potato you can substitute for sweet potato in the soup. Just make sure you peel the sweet potatoes first.

This cauliflower soup is a wonderful comfort food and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Don’t forget to top it off with some of those amazing little superfoods, like green onions and parsley. Not only will it add extra flavor but will punch up the color if you’re serving it to guests! The last tip for this soup: when already in the serving bowl: drizzle with quality olive oil!

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Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup

February 5, 2016

by Kasia Kines

Category Member Recipes Recipes Soups Soups

Persons

6

Notes

Adapted from the Sexy Vegan by Brian Patton - Serves 6 (6 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 head of fennel*
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating the fennel
• Celtic Sea Salt
• Pepper
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 russet potato, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3 cups of vegetable stock or water
• * We have also replaced the fennel with leek and the soup was delicious

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut off the fennel stalks and cut into ¼ inch pieces. Set aside. Cut the fennel bulb in half and coat each half with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. On a baking sheet, roast the fennel bulb halves, cut side down for 30-40 minutes or until tender and browned. Remove from the oven, let cool and cut into larger chunks.
4. In a pot, heat the 2 teaspoons of oil to medium, and add the onion, sliced fennel stalks, and a healthy pinch of salt. Cook 4-6 minutes, or until tender.
5. Add the garlic and cook for 4 minutes then add the potato, cauliflower, and roasted fennel. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes until the cauliflower and potatoes are tender.
6. Use a n immersion blender or pour the soup into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

https://kasiakines.com/cauliflower-soup-with-roasted-fennel/

Kasia Kines