Dairy Free Cream of Broccoli Soup

Quick, Easy, Vegan, GF, Low GI Vegetable Cream Soup Recipe

Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe: delicious beginning to any meal, satisfying light meal for 2 people, with Oatmeal Date Nut Muffins or crusty bread with hummus.

Our broccoli cream soup has a fresh, delicate flavor without onions & garlic but if you must have them, sauté first to mellow the flavors.

Substitute for broccoli: Cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, celery, potato & leek, or combinations.

Total Prep & Cook Time: 30 Min

6 Servings

Nutrition Data Per Serving: GF, Low GI, 94 cal, 6g fat, 9g carb, 4g protein, 3g fiber, 191 mg sodium, good source Vit A, C & K. Estimated glycemic load 4

Ingredients:

• 3 medium broccoli stalks, peeled, and florets (about 6 cups)
• 4 cups unsalted vegetable soup stock (recipe below) OR 4 c. water + 2 unsalted veggie bouillon cubes
• 1/2 cup loose chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp powdered or crushed dried rosemary
• 1 tsp dried powdered or crushed dried thyme
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Optional: 1 - 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Optional: 1/4 cup diced yellow onion

• 2 Tbsp chick pea flour (besan) as a gluten free low GI alternative to wheat flour
• 2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk or rice milk
• 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
• Fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Peel broccoli stems. Chop stems and florets into small pieces
2. Chop parsley, reserving 2 Tbsp to mince as a garnish
3. Place broccoli into stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender - about 5 minutes
4. Optional onion &; garlic: peel and crush garlic cloves, dice onion. Sauté on medium heat in 1 tsp olive oil for 10 minutes. Add to pot
5. Place broccoli, liquid, parsley, thyme, rosemary, and salt in blender or put solids through a foodmill, or mash and strain. Puree until smooth. Set aside
6. White sauce: Heat the olive oil in the soup pan. Add the flour and cook on low for ten minutes.
7. Stir in rice milk or almond milk with a whisk, bring to a boil then simmer till thickened, stirring constantly with the whisk (approx 10 minutes). This is important - otherwise your sauce will be lumpy. If that happens, blend it or put it through a seive
8. Stir in broccoli puree. Adjust salt if needed, and grate pepper in to taste
9. Heat gently (don't boil). Serve immediately, garnished with minced parsley

Soup Stock Ingredients:

• Note: This stock recipe can be made a day ahead, or simmered all day in the crockpot
• 2 quarts water
• 2 lg carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 slices fresh ginger
• Handful parsley, with stems
• Potato peelings if you have them
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram leaves
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary leaves

• 6 dried peppercorns
• Optional: 2 inch piece dried kombu seaweed
• Optional: handful scallion tops or chives
• Optional: 2 whole garlic cloves
• NO SALT

Soup Stock Directions:

1. The carrot and celery are essential, but any other ingredients you don't have, no worries, just leave them out
2. Coarsely chop the carrots and celery, and combine all ingredients in a large crockpot
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours
4. Strain through a large seive and store in quart or pint containers in the fridge or freezer

Recipe Tips:

Gluten Free and Low Glycemic Index: Rice milk is high in carboydrates (24 g per cup) so we recommend using unsweetened plain almond milk (2 g carbs per cup) as a low GI alternative.

Chickpea or besan flour is a lower GI and gluten free alternative to white flour for thickening the soup. Serve this broccoli soup with slices of fried polenta (Italian corn pudding) as a delicious, gluten free, lower GI accompaniment.

If you don't want to make soup stock, use unsalted veggie bouillon cubes. But soup stock is easy to make, raises your recipes to a whole other level, and it makes you feel superior having home made soup stock in the fridge.