What We Ate Wednesday--Broccoli and Cheese Soup

Hello lovelies! Last week I made a cheese sauce that was rich and tangy made with a roasted red pepper. As I was eating my dinner I thought that it would make a delicious Broccoli and Cheese Soup.  I became obsessed (obsessed I tell you!) with the thoughts of broccoli and cheese.

Now you would think this had been my favourite childhood soup and I was longing for a veganised version.

Nope.

Because (sad to say) I didn't like broccoli until I was a grown up. It was many years into my adulthood when I discovered how good it tastes roasted and fell in love with cruciferous vegetables.

This was pretty quick and easy. And tasted just like I hoped it would. That is to say delicious.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

First make your sauce.
The sauce:
1 white onion, sliced into rainbows
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tin white beans 
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 roasted red pepper from a jar
! TB lemon juice (bottled is fine)
1 cup non dairy milk
1.5 TB starch (I used tapioca, but cornstarch/cornflour would work)
1/2 tsp each smoked paprika and turmeric for colour

1. Cook your onion and garlic in the 1 cup of broth. Boil until nearly all the liquid has been absorbed.
2. Add the garlicky onion to a blender with everything else and blend until smooth. Then wait.

The soup:
3 cups finely chopped broccoli, stalks and all
2 cups vegetable broth

1. Vigorously simmer the broccoli in the broth until tender--about 5 minutes or so.
2. Add the cheese sauce from the blender and heat until bubbling and thickened.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste

That's it.

Broccoli and cheese soup of my dreams. I bet if you had time and roasted the broccoli in the oven at 200C/400F before adding it to the cheesy broth it would be even more fabulous, but this was quick and delicious.