Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup with Cannellini Beans

Here's a cream soup recipe to warm you up and boost your immunity and vitality! Takes no time and is super delicious!

WHAT YOU NEED:

♥ 1 bunch of broccoli
♥ 1 large white onion or 1/2 leek
♥ 300-350g of Canellini beans (alternatively, butter beans will do as well)
♥ 500ml of boiled water
♥ 2 bay leaves
♥ 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
♥ Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:

♥ 3-4 cloves of garlic
♥ nutmeg or majoram
♥ thyme
♥ 30g of peanuts or cashew nuts
♥ fresh or frozen dill to serve (pictured)
 Choose as many organic ingredients as possible.

PREPARATION:

1. Soak dry beans in a filtered water overnight. Drain and rinse. Add filtered water and bay leaves and boil for 1 - 1 1/4 hours in amount of water twice the volume of beans. Scoop of any foam. The longer you soak beans, the shorter the cooking time. Once beans are ready, take out the bay leaves, but don't drain the beans. Just cover them with a lid until other ingredients are ready.

* If you're short of time - use cannellini beans that are already prepared. Some grocery shops sell organic ones. ;) 

2. In the meantime, put broccoli florets into a frying pan, add a 4 tablespoons of filtered water, cover with a lid and leave for 5 minutes until slightly tender.

3. Put chopped onion/leeks onto another  a frying pan and stir fry in a little amount of olive oil until just slightly golden. 

4. Now transfer broccoli and onion/leeks into a saucepan with cannelloni beans. 

5. Take a hand blender and puree everything carefully until smooth. 

6. Add herbs and pepper to taste.

7. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.

8. Enjoy with organic wholemeal toast, wholegrain oatcakes, or lean protein products.

*** serve with 30g of stilton cheese if you are lacto or lacto-ovo-vegetarian.

❤ BENEFITS:

Calcium, non-heme iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc, β-carotene, vitamin C, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin K, fibre, protein. This mighty soup has anti-oxidant, anti-aging, detoxing as well as flu/cold and cancer fighting properties. And of course - it promotes healthy weight loss!

With Love,

Natalia xx