The perfect dish for the season
Cold winter days make me think of cozy fires, a stack of my favorite books in my favorite nook, and the yummy goodness of a rich and savory soup. This vegan broccoli cheddar soup has quickly become a favorite of mine. While I love hearty vegetable soups during cold days in general, I’ve grown much more appreciative of tasty vegan soups and stews.
My philosophy
Over the years I’ve learned to appreciate the beauty of each season and more recently, to cherish every moment. The fall and winter months are great opportunities to get creative with your recipes during this time of year. With the unique variety of vegetables during the colder months of the year, I love to select vegetables and spices that nourish and support the body during the cold and flu season.
It turns out, this vegan broccoli cheddar soup recipe is perfect for just that!
More about seasonal vegetables and fruits
I love the challenge of creating yummy and healthy meals using products that are in season and are ethically and sustainably sourced. Fall veggies ring in a new season of goodness and are a great opportunity to learn more about where my food comes from. Are you making the right choices when it comes to what’s on your plate?
Some of my favorites and staples
I love hardy greens with collards and kale being two of my favorites because they’re so versatile in both salad bases and cooked dishes. Unlike spinach, they hold up well for both cold and hot recipes. Obviously, today’s recipe does not include either but instead uses a combination of root vegetables and broccoli (added at the end ).
My basic rule for ALL of my recipes
Nearly every dish I make must have a full-bodied flavor profile and incorporate gut-friendly and anti-inflammatory properties. This is a massive issue for me as I have struggled off and on with digestive maladies and have fully dived into the benefits of using spices and other ingredients that promote gut health. Squash is another Fall favorite of mine. But for this dish, I’m organic carrots, sweet potato, Yukon gold potatoes, onions, herbs, and spices. The oven with a savory blend of fresh garlic and herbs to complete this vegan dish. If you don’t like sweet potatoes, you can omit this ingredient, but I personally think it not only adds more nutrients but rounds out the flavor.
About the ingredients
All of the ingredients are either organic, locally sourced, or both. I’ve also made it a point to also use gut-friendly spices and herbs to help support healthy gut bacteria and my immune system. With everything that’s going on, using natural herbs and spices to boost the body’s natural defenses is a must. Personally, I’m not a fan of using a lot of pharmaceutical-based remedies for non-acute situations. This is why I tend to view my food more as medicine wrapped in deliciousness!
What you will need for this vegan broccoli cheddar soup
- Broccoli (fresh lightly steamed)
- 1 medium-large sweet potato
- Yukon gold potatoes, 2 medium
- yellow or red onion, chopped (1small)
- clove garlic (1)
- 1 cup unsweetened full-fat organic coconut milk
- 1 cup unsweetened plain organic almond milk ( you can use 1/2 cup raw almonds, I prefer almond milk)
More of your ingredients
- 1/4 cup mini Bella mushrooms (optional)
- chopped green onions, 1/4 cup
- Garlic powder, 1 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon Onion powder
- turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of spicy paprika
Bringing it all together
I eliminated some steps to make the recipe more straightforward; no need to add raw cashews or almonds that need to be blended, etc!. Just give me the delicious without all of the drama is what I say! So with that in mind, first boil down the potatoes with the seasoning spices until they are soft (approx 20mins on medium heat). Next, add in your vegetables and let them simmer with the potatoes, creating a soupy mixture. After the mixture has slightly thickened, add in the nutritional yeast and pour your mixture into the blender and blend until it’s smooth. Be sure to lightly chop and steam your fresh broccoli and add it to your soup after it’s fully blended and allow the soup to lightly simmer on low heat for another ten minutes. You can serve your soup with crackers, toast or cornbread and simply enjoy a bowl of this deliciouness!
Another recipe for the fall and winter months
Have you tried any of my other recipes yet? Click here for some awesome tea recipes to help support your body’s natural defenses during the cold and flu seasons! Plus, these recipes are great recovery teas throughout the year.
About the author
Tonye Tariah is a Holistic Health Strategist, Coach, and the founder of Freedom at The Crossroads Blog. Tonye helps free women from inaction and unhealthy habits so they can get fit, healthy, and live free. Her belief is that “the cookie-cutter method only works for cookies”. Meaning, she helps each woman in a way that is unique to each her situation. By doing this, she’s better able to help women transform their lives from the inside out. Her ultimate goal is to help women become healthy
