We’re having a drought in California. I heard somewhere that last year was our driest year in recorded history and I don’t think it’s rained at all this year (it hasn’t rained where I live anyway). Our governor has declared a state of emergency and fire officials warn that it’s going to be a frightening year for fires.
But don’t feel sorry for us, in exchange for cutting our water use by 20 percent we’ve been blessed with 70 to 80 degree temps all winter long. It feels like summer and my hubby and I have been doing warm weather stuff like going to the beach and hanging out at outdoor cafes with our dog, Mambo.
I’m not making light of the situation, I’m just saying that there’s nothing wrong with making lemonade. The only kink for me is that I love to eat soup in the winter. It’s my ultimate comfort food and I’ve been craving it for weeks. But who makes soup when it’s 80 degrees?
I guess I do because despite the balmy weather, I made a pot last night. I wanted something thick and rich so I did an online search for vegan cream soups. The first recipe that came up was Leanne Vogal’s Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup. I loved that it used cauliflower as a thickening agent and was fat-free (if you sautéed the veggies in water instead of oil, anyway).
I made the soup, which was a cinch, and it was delicious! Who needs cream and flours to make a hearty, healthy soup? Thank you Leanne – this recipe rocks!
Recipe notes: As I said above, to make this recipe fat-free, you’ll need to sauté the veggies in water or broth instead of oil. It honestly doesn’t lose any flavor from this. If you’ve never done this, here’s a tutorial. It’s easier than pie! I also added a whole onion and was heavy-handed with the spices in the recipe and this worked for my tastes.
The photo is courtesy of Healthful Pursuit.
Honk If You're Vegan 
I love a creamy, vegan soup! And while I agree, a drought is not good, making lemonade is definitely warranted – I’d love some time in 80 degree weather!
We’ve got an extra bedroom and I’ve got leftover soup Laura, so come on over! Celeste 🙂
I am certainly trying this, Celeste. …and, I agree with Laura above – I would also “love some time in 80 degree weather!” 🙂
If you want to bunk with Laura, you’re welcome to stay with me too!! 🙂
Well… I might just take you up on that! What a great offer, thank you, Celeste, and Laura 🙂 🙂 🙂
What a cool idea to use cauliflower!!! Can’t wait to try this!
Honestly Tammi, this soup is SO delicious!! I bet no one would even realize what’s in it. Celeste 🙂
Yum! You can’t beat mushroom soup and what a great idea to use cauliflower!
Amazing about your weather, you can have some of our non stop rain if you like! 🙂
No thanks on the rain Poppy – hehe! I hate walking Mambo in the rain because he comes home a sopping muddy mess. 🙂
Hehe, I can imagine! Paw prints all through your carpet! 😀
Oh, Celeste, you know it’s been beautiful in San Diego, too! I actually feel guilty for what everyone else is suffering…polar vortex sounds awful!
I make cashew cream and freeze it in half-cups. It’s wonderful for creamy sauces, and I used it in a mashed potato (with hidden cauliflower) soup last week. Certainly not non-fat, but super yum. 🙂
What a great idea to freeze cashew cream in half-cups! I’ve used that for soups in the past too and it makes them creamy and lovely. I gained a few over the holidays, however; so I was looking for something light last night. By the way, did I know you were in San Diego? Okay, so that’s a silly question – how would you know that (and shouldn’t I know if I know – hehe). In any case, now I know and I think we should meet for lunch sometime. It would be fun! Celeste 🙂
Y’know, I went to the farmer’s market in Hillcrest last week and thought of you…there was a ton of vegan food and I ate lunch from a place called Anthem. Dear heaven, it was amazing. I kept asking the cook-guy, “Are you sure that’s vegan?” He whipped out a t-shirt that said, “Yes, it really is vegan!” Guess they get that a lot. I had a country”ham” with roasted sweet potato and fresh spinach sandwich — my mouth waters remembering! Next time you’re here to see the sis, let’s do it 🙂
That sounds wonderful!!!! When is the Hillcrest Farmer’s Market?
It’s every Sunday from 9am-2pm. Let’s see if I can make a link work…http://hillcrestfarmersmarket.com/
Truly one of the best farmer’s markets I’ve been to. A nice mix of prepped food, artisans, and actual farmers selling produce and (my fave little pleasure) flowers.
Great! I’ll let you know when I can make it and maybe my sis can even join us.
It’s a date!
Dang, this looks like the ultimate comfort food!
Yes, yes, yes!!!!
I eat soups year round. Easy to make, delicious, comforting, and you can make a big pot from just about anything you have in the ‘frige and cupboard. Enjoy the extended summer!
Thanks for stopping by Annie! I suppose you’re right – soup is fine for any time of the year. My husband even recently told me that he heard that some cultures eat soup for breakfast. So soup is okay for whenever!!
We occasionally have soup for breakfast – though it’s really more like a rice porridge. I usually opt for a breakfast on the “sweet” side, but sometimes something savory really hits the spot.
By the way, I love the new look of your site. It’s lovely!!
Thanks! I’m pleased with it – still some tweaks to do. It was definitely time for a change.
Cream of mushroom is probably my favourite soup! Yum 🙂
I’d love some of your sun and heat, it’s -35ºC in Montreal! Bitter cold!
I’m just chilly thinking about temps that cold – yikes! I’ve lived in Vermont, so I know cold and it’s not for wimpy California natives like me. Anywho, I hope you give this soup a try. I really, really like the taste of it and it’s so healthy too. Celeste 🙂
I definitely will, Celeste. 🙂
Hi Celeste,
I too make soup year round. I was just saying to my husband that I didn’t know what to make for supper tomorrow nite. I check your blog and voila-I have all the ingredients, so soup it is. thanks for the heads up on the recipe.
Oh great – I’m sure you and your hubby will like it. And thanks SO much for reading – I appreciate it! Celeste 🙂
The pleasure is all mine!
Golly, such extremes! We’ve had so much rain there’s been flooding all over the UK! When I lived in Dubai and it was winter time, my friend used to turn the ac in her car right up to make it as cold as possible and get just some of that winter feeling – maybe try that and eat your soup??!! 😉
Hehe – you crack me up chica!! Actually no need to use the AC because the temps just dipped into the 60’s and that’s cold enough for soup for me!!
The Gods heard your plea!!
Oh, and sorry that you have to deal with all that rain and flooding. That’s really a bummer!!
It’s been something else…we are surrounded by fields (I live in the countryside) and they have been completely awash with deep water. It’s been amazing to see whilst being a nightmare too!!
crazy weather is crazy. berlin had the mildest winter, we had not a day of minus degrees, and snow since some three days. wonder what the spring will bring; you really can’t tell anymore.
the soup link is awesome. cauliflower is really good for you; so it’s a bliss to be able to incorporate it into meals “sneakily”. not because I don’t like it – I love cauliflower. just because it’s otherwise a bit boring; sautéed cauliflower everyday 😉
The weather really is crazy everywhere these days, that’s for sure. I don’t eat a lot of cauliflower either, but I’ll probably eat more of it now that I found this recipe. I’m thinking I can make other cream soups using this cauliflower base – maybe I’ll try cream of broccoli next. Anyway, I hope the New Year is treating you well chica! Celeste 🙂
cream soups + sauces. and I add it to pretty much every stir fry recipe. got one with black rice that is mindblowing good.
cauliflower, brussels sprout, brokkoli, kale – are all super healthy.
I like soup summer, winter, fall and spring. I do hope that we get rain or that we conserve our scant water supply or we will have scant expensive veggies. We need to be water wise to keep our veggies good and plentiful.
Hi Mom! Yes, we need the rain. I’m trusting that the universe will provide what we need in time. See you on Saturday! Celeste 🙂
Oh, thanks, I just have some mushroom on hands, will make it later. 🙂
Lovely – I hope you like it! Celeste 🙂
I might have to try this soup. It’s like -9 here in Jersey so I’m quite chilled! I’ve been in Carrot soup mode, but mushroom might be a good switch this week! Thanks for the recipe!
Oooo – so cold!!!! I’d say you need a good bowl of comfort! Celeste 🙂
70-80 degrees in January? On a beach? Now, that is what I call life! 🙂 And that mushroom soup looks so inviting. I love creamy soups, although I can be sometimes lazy to make soup, because it is only a part of a meal 🙂
When I make soup, that’s all I make for a meal (I’m too lazy to make more than that). That’s why I like thick, hearty soups because with bread it’s all you need for a hearty lunch or light dinner. I’m thankful that my hubby is okay with this, because I know not everyone would call soup a complete meal. Celeste 🙂
I’ll be making this soup Celeste! I love cauliflower and my hubby loves mushrooms! That’s a MAIN COURSE SOUP! I do the same as you: I make soup thick and hearty and it’s a meal in itself, served with a cucumber or radish sandwich or simply bread. This type of soup is no comparison to the watery soups that are almost just liquid with a few tiny food particles of whatever; for those you need a main course. 🙂
♥ carmen
This soup is SO filling Carmen – even my hubby got full on it! What I really love about it, however; is that it’s just veggies and almond milk so it’s super healthy and low in fat and calories. I thought that since it’s mostly veggies that my husband and I would be hungry quickly after eating it (like with Chinese food) but we were satisfied all night. I hope you enjoy this chica! Celeste 🙂
I like the simplicity of this recipe… There is an 8 ingredient maximum on recipes to get me to try them…This works 🙂
Hehe – I’m the laziest cook in the world Christian! If I can make this soup, you can certainly make it. It does take time to chop everything, but it’s worth it because you’ll have enough soup for several days. Thanks so much for reading – I appreciate it! Celeste 🙂
Hey Celeste. I was just thinking about you the other night. I saw a food show on tv where they highlighted a vegan food truck called, Seabirds. Have you heard of it? They make all vegan food with locally grown organic fruits and veggies. Their food looks amazing. Supposedly they’re in Costa Mesa, California. Is that close to you? Anyhow, here’s their site if you’re interested: http://seabirdskitchen.com/
Blessings =)
Staci
This is SO funny because my hubby and I are going to a Seabirds on Monday. We’ve never been there before, but they have a special tasting dinner on Monday that we made reservations for. They are half an hour from us, which is how far we have to drive to get to most vegan restaurants. Here’s the menu they’re serving:
Burnt Brussels Sprouts
BBQ Jackfruit Sliders
Roasted Beet and Cara Cara Salad
Tahitian Squash Flatbread
Zippy Tofu Plate
Chaffle, featuring Vitaly’s Coconut Sorbet
Everything except the Brussels Sprouts sounds lovely to me. I’ll write a post about it and let you know how it is.
And thanks so much for thinking of me, I appreciate it!! Celeste 🙂
HAHAHAHAHA. Right on. Can’t wait to read your post about it. I share your distaste for ‘burnt’ brussel sprouts’
Blessings =)
This is such a great soup! It sounds perfect and lovely for this weather!
This would be a nice healthy meal before one of your lovely treats! 🙂
Celeste, I am not such a good healthy person and I need you to come to my picnic! Please bring some healthy food to share! I just finished nominating you for the Sunshine Award, my dear! Check out my post and please accept the nomination! Smiles, Robin
This evening I tried Cream of Mushroom soup receipe – AMAZING!!! I’m giving 20 score of 10 🙂 All my family enjoyed this soup. My Mom ask this receipe immediately. Thank you for sharing
Wonderful!!! I really liked it too and it’s just SO healthy that you can’t go wrong with it. Thanks so much for sharing!! Celeste 🙂
This looks so good, I love soup too (in the hot or the cold lol).
I hope you try this – it’s SO good! Celeste 🙂
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This sounds delicious!
A million thanks for passing on this dairy and grain free recipee for what is basically a hug in a dish xx
MMMMMMM,…A georgous tasty looking soup!