Cream of Mushroom Soup

Typical creamy soups are more about the cream than the vegetables. They can leave you feeling hungry since most contain very little fiber. This soup is just the opposite! It will leave you feeling full and satisfied, thanks to the powerhouse ingredients. Plus, it’s vegan and gluten-free so everyone will love it!

Makes: about 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for a few hours, then rinsed

1 cup uncooked wild rice

2 ½ cups water for wild rice

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 pound mushrooms, any variety or a mix, steams removed and sliced

6 cups vegetable broth or water

1/3 cup dry sherry

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cover the cashews with hot water and soak for a few hours or overnight. Then rinse, drain, and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the wild rice, reduce to low heat, and simmer until the water is all absorbed. 

In a stockpot, sauté onions in olive oil until translucent or about 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, vegetable broth, sherry, oregano, and thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked. 

In a high-speed blender*, add raw cashews, nutritional yeast, and ¾ cup of the soup and blend on high until the consistency is that of heavy cream. 

Add the cream mixture and wild rice to the stockpot with the remainder of the soup. Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

*Using a high-speed blender is the key to making a silky-smooth cream sauce. If you do not use a high-speed blender, the cream may be gritty or slightly chunky.