Vegan Broccoli & Kale "Cheese" Soup

This soup may not sound delicious, but it is. I've already made it twice this year. I think this might be the only dish that I've made twice too, so it's a big deal.

Forget detox diets, this soup is a detox. You get an incredible amount of vegetables in a tiny little bowl. You aren't eating real cheese, so you have nothing to "feel bad" about. My boyfriend made some Broccoli Beer Cheese soup for us the week before, and this actually tasted just like it. I added a bit of gluten free beer to one of my batches because I had it at the house. So feel free to add that as well.

Vegan Broccoli & Kale Soup
Adapted from: Blissful Basil

Ingredients:
4 small heads broccoli, de-stemmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces (you should have approximately 8 cups of florets)
1 large leek, thoroughly cleaned, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 head of lacinato kale, de-stemmed and chopped
2½ tablespoons olive oil
4 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk, divided
¾ cup hemp seeds
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1½ – 2 teaspoons large grain sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Optional: dash of cayenne pepper & paprika

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Spread the broccoli florets and leeks over the large baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
4. Roast the broccoli and leeks in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until just starting to turn golden and brown.
5. While the broccoli starts to roast, spread the lacinato kale over small baking sheet. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil and massage oil into kale.
6. Roast the kale in the oven along with the broccoli for 5-7 minutes or until just barely turning golden.
7. While the veggies are roasting, add 3 cups almond milk, hemp seeds, nutritional yeast, garlic, paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper to a high-powered blender (I used an immersion blender). Blend for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
8. Heat a dutch oven or large stock pot over medium-low heat. Add the almond milk soup base to the pot.
9. While the soup base starts to cook, add the broccoli, leeks, kale, and 1 cup almond milk to a very high-powered blender or food processor (again, I used an immersion blender) and process until as smooth as possible. This will take 10 minutes or so — patience is a soup-making virtue!
10. Pour the blended broccoli mixture into the pot and whisk into the almond milk mixture.
11. Add in a pinch of cayenne if desired, and simmer for 15 minutes.
12. You may need to use an immersion blender to get the soup as smooth as desired.
13. Serve and enjoy. (It's great with corn bread!)

Simon Majumdar's Life Saving Dahl

It is very easy to say that this is my favorite soup I've ever made when I am sick.

Eating this soup when you are sick, makes you forget the sickness instantly. All of a sudden, you can move your once achy muscles again, you can breathe through your nose, you can smell, you can taste, your sore throat disappeared. It really is incredible.

Unfortunately, they come back about an hour after you are finished, but some relief is better than none.

I found out about this soup and Simon Majumdar after listening to The Alton Browncast, AKA my new current listening obsession. Simon sounds lovely. I also ordered his book "Eat My Globe." It's a lovely read so far. I want to propose that he and I write "Eat My Gluten Free Globe" next. No one take my idea, or I will send you to court. This is in writing. :P

Anywho... on to this Life-Saving Soup....

Life Saving Dahl
Adapted from: Simon Madjumdar

Ingredients:
1 cup of red lentils (Toasted first in a dry pan. I use my fingers to stir and when it is too hot to touch, it is done)
1 unwaxed lemon chopped in quarters
1 onion sliced

1 cup frozen peas
2 cardamom pods (I used ground cardamom, around 1 tbsp)
2 cloves (I used ground cloves, around 1 tsp)
1 cinnamon stick (I used ground cinnamon, around 1 tbsp)
3 cloves garlic
3 fresh green chillies
2 inches of fresh ginger
1 tsp each of ground turmeric/ginger/cumin/coriander seed/hot chilli powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1½ Pints of water or stock (I used chicken stock)
1 Bag of spinach (washed)

1 lb chicken breast (Free Range), cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Instructions:

1. Saute chicken cubes in olive oil until cooked all the way through. Put on plate and set aside.
2. Make a paste by blending the ginger/garlic/fresh chilli with a little salt and water.
3. Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a hot pan and when it comes to heat, add the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon stick. Cook for 1 minute on a low heat until they release their flavor.
4. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften and turn golden.
5. Add the ginger/chilli/garlic paste and cook for two to four minutes until it loses its rawness.Add the ground spices, sugar and salt and mix well with the onions and cook out for 4 mins until the spices lose their rawness. If the mixture begins to stick add a little water.
6. Add the lentils and mix well so all the pulses are covered with the mixture.
7. Add 1½ pints of water/stock and the quartered lemons and simmer for 30 mins until the lentils have broken down. Add more water if it sticks. Some lentils may take a little longer.
8. 15 minutes after adding the stock or water, add the frozen peas and chicken. Cook for at least 15 more minutes.
9. Add the spinach, cover and allow to wilt.

Enjoy and feel better!!