10-Spice Vegetable Soup with Cashew Cream (Vegan)

Recipe from The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 6 generously

This is comfort food for sure.  It would taste especially good when you are feeling a bit puny.  The “cashew cream” makes the soup especially rich tasting.  This soup is loaded with colorful vegetables and that’s a good thing.  As you cut up the vegetables, be sure to set aside the veggie scraps to make Homemade Vegetable Broth.  Serve this soup with your favorite bread or crunchy crackers.

¾ cup raw cashews, soaked*

6 cups vegetable broth, divided

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 sweet onion, diced

3 medium carrots, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1½ sweet potato or regular potato or butternut squash, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with their juices

1 Tablespoon 10-Spice Blend** OR Cajun or Creole seasoning mix

Sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 bay leaves

1-2 cups (handfuls) baby spinach or destemmed torn kale leaves

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas or other beans, drained and rinsed

In a blender, combine the soaked and drained cashews with 1 cup of the vegetable broth and blend on the highest speed until smooth. Set aside.

In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.

Add the carrots, bell pepper, potato, celery, tomatoes with their juices, remaining 5 cups vegetable broth, the cashew cream and the 10-Spice Blend.  Stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Season with salt and pepper and add the bay leaves.

Simmer the soup, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir in the spinach and beans.  Remove the bay leaves and discard.  Serve.

*Note: To soak the cashews, place them in a Mason jar or bowl.  Cover with water.  Cover the jar or bowl and place it in the fridge overnight.  Drain and rinse the cashews before using them.  If you are in a rush, you can cover the cashews with boiling water and allow them to soak for 30 minutes or so.  Soaking the cashews softens them up which will make them creamier after blending.

**10-Spice Blend: (makes ½ cup) Mix together the following spices in a small bowl and then store in an airtight container: 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika; 1 Tablespoon garlic powder; 1 Tablespoon dried oregano; 1 Tablespoon onion powder; 1 Tablespoon dried basil; 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 1½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper; 1½ teaspoons sea salt; 1 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Nutritional Information via RecipeIQ app: (1 of 6 servings) 304 calories; 15 g fat (3 g sat. fat); 39 g carbohydrates; 6 g fiber; 9 g protein; 53% vitamin A; 97% vitamin C; 7% calcium; 26% iron