Vegan Creamy Courgette, Cauliflower & Mushroom Soup

As days are getting shorter and colder, winds stronger and winter season is just round the corner, you cannot beat a good hearty warming soup! I have been obsessed with this one lately and there's nothing not to love about it - it is delicious, full of goodness, and is easy to make! Moreover, unlike many winter-warmers, this soup is absolutely harmless for your figure. What's more - it will even aid fat burning!

INGREDIENTS:
(Makes 7 portions)
♥ 1 cauliflower head
♥ 2 large courgettes
♥ 1 large leek (around 200g weight)
♥ 250g mushrooms
♥ 3 garlic cloves
♥ Ground black pepper
♥ 2 bay leaves
♥ Oregano
♥ Parsley
♥ Turmeric
♥ 1 tablespoon of fresh, dried or frozen dill
♥ Optional: sea salt to taste
♥ Optional: 1 tablespoon of organic vegan bouillon powder and skip adding extra sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut cauliflower into large chunks and simmer for 15 minutes in 1 litre of water. It does not need to become too soft and fall apart - just a slightly soft is right what is needed. Here's an illustration for you:

Don't drain the water in which the cauliflower was boiled.
 
2. Slice courgettes, mushrooms and leeks and put them all into a frying pan (or into two separate pans if one does not fit everything). Add 4 tablespoons of filtered water, cover with a lid and stew for 4 minutes until vegetables start becoming soft. Then remove the lid, add a tablespoon of olive oil and sliced garlic and stir fry for 2 minutes.

3. Start liquidising and I like to do it in stages. Take a hand blender and carefully covering the open top of a saucepan start blending cauliflower. Then add courgettes and blend. Finally add mushrooms, leeks and garlic and blend. Stir all ingredients well with a long handle wooden spoon.

4. Add spices and herbs. Simmer for 7 minutes on low heat.

Serve on its own or as a starter.
Goes well with beans or stirred-in tablespoon of hummus.
If you eat fish, try pairing this soup with tuna. If you are non-vegetarian - try it with chicken breast.

Enjoy! xx

Easy Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup

Another perfect warming soup - easy and quick to prepare, incredibly creamy and delicious... Here's to your good health and slim waistline!

Loving the soup season!

WHAT YOU NEED:

♥ 1 medium head of cauliflower
♥ 1 medium white onion
♥ 250g of white mushrooms
♥ approx. 480 g of unsweetened almond drink
♥ 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
♥ Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
♥ 1/2 tablespoon of dried thyme
♥ 1/2 tablespoon of dried basil

OPTIONAL:

♥ 3-4 minced cloves of garlic
♥ Any other herbs and spices to taste - parsley, nutmeg, oregano, coriander or mint

SERVE WITH:

♥ Spoonful of sunflower of pumpkin seeds
♥ Fresh dill
♥ Wholegrain oatcakes or wholemeal bread with bran (Ezekiel is great too)
♥ IF YOU ARE NOT VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN - Serve with grilled chicken fillet ;)

Choose as many organic ingredients as possible.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put cauliflower florets into a saucepan with unsweetened almond drink. Add pepper, cover with a lid, and boil for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.

2. In the meantime, put diced onion and mushrooms onto a frying pan and stir fry in a little amount of olive oil for about 5 minutes until onion and mushroom begin to change it colour into golden and become softer. Stir them regularly.

3. Transfer onions and mushrooms into a saucepan with cauliflower. Take a hand blender and puree the ingredients until smooth. (Helpful Tip: To avoid spills always keep the blender below the liquid level. As a safety net, keep your hand palm down on top of the saucepan.)

4. Add the remaining spices and herbs, and simmer for 8 minutes until thickened.

❤ BENEFITS:

Fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin D, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, copper, selenium and even some protein.

Sunflower seeds also contribute with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, non-heme iron, magnesium, zinc, sulphur and vitamin E.

Be healthy and enjoy losing weight in a delicious way!

With Love,

Natalia xx

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