I have a deep, deep love for broccoli. Sometimes I will steam some up and just sprinkle it with sesame oil & salt and have a big ol’ bowl of steamed broccoli for lunch. No joke. 🥦🥦🥦
But creamy broccoli soup. Ohhhh!! NEXT LEVEL!
Anything can be converted over to a vegan version, I’m pretty convinced, BUT making it taste just as delicious & satisfying is a bit of an art. Through a little cashew & coconut magic, here is a thick & creamy broccoli soup that ticks off all the right boxes AND contains potent healing and anti-inflammatory properties. In this life, it’s important to understand and BELIEVE that you can have it all: taste, satisfaction, enjoyment, AND support your health long term.
The Health Benefits of Broccoli are FAR REACHING! But here are just a few:
Beneficial for Digestion: The high fiber content is great for regular bowel function & proper elimination, but is also helpful in maintaining a healthy stomach lining as well as beneficial bacteria levels.
Chronic Disease Prevention: Broccoli contains phenolic compounds that can be beneficial in warding off diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, asthma, and heart disease.
Healthy Liver: Broccoli may help reduce fatty liver build up and risk of liver disease.
Brain Health: Rich in vitamin K & choline, broccoli may help to protect against neurodegenerative disease and symptoms of brain degeneration.
Anti-inflammatory: High in antioxidants like vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, sulforaphane, and kaempferol, cruciferous vegetables are naturally anti-inflammatory and have potent antioxidant qualities.
Anti-Cancer (my personal favourite 😉): Of particular potential benefit in reducing risk of uterine and breast cancers, it’s potent antioxidant quality and ability to help regulate estrogen make broccoli your ally for fighting cancer!
Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt
1 large head of broccoli, chopped (5-6 cups)
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
Lots of fresh pepper
1/2 cup of cashews, soaked 4-12 hours or 30 minutes in boiling water
4 cups vegetable stock/broth
1 can coconut milk
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
In a large soup pot, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until softened.
Add salt, broccoli, garlic, carrots, and season with pepper. Sauté until vegetables are slightly softened - roughly 15 - 20 minutes.
In a separate pot, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Drain and rinse cashews and place them in the blender with about 1 cup of the hot broth. Blend until smooth.
Pour remaining broth, blended cashew mix, and coconut milk into soup pot. Bring to a gentle simmer for about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast. When soup has cooled slightly, blend with an immersion blender or transfer to your blender and blend in batches until desired consistency is reached.
Reheat to serve and adjust seasonings as needed. We like this soup topped with pumpkin seed parmesan and a drizzle of coconut cream! Simple & delish!
MAKE THIS YUMMY SOUP & LET ME KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT FOR YOU!
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May you relish in real food deliciousness!