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Cream of Mushroom Soup, www.StyleNectar.com

 

This fabulous Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe is long overdue!  However, the best things in life are always worth the wait 🙂  My vegan take on the classic is a bowl of warm, savory goodness.  Rich, velvety and as always, simple to prepare.  

I love this dairy-free version of Cream of Mushroom Soup even more than the cream-based & lower-fat dairy-based recipes I made in the past.  This delicious soup gets it's luscious, creamy texture from the addition of cashews.  (Dairy contains many hormone-containing and cancer-promoting substances and there are strong associations between dairy consumption and prostate, ovarian, adult testicular and colorectal cancers. 1.) 

Lately, I often wonder if my tastebuds don't somehow know the difference between the foods that make me vibrant and healthy, versus those that don't.  I adore my new vegan way of eating that much.  It feels everyday like I get to have my cake and eat it too!  I definitely have not given up a thing, despite virtually elimating dairy, meat, sugar and refined grains in favor of G-BOMBS (greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries & seeds).  In fact I feel I've received a huge gift… the most delicious food I've ever made which happens to simultaneously make me feel amazing!  

Please enjoy a steaming bowl of my Cream of Mushroom Soup to make your insides as happy as your tastebuds!

PS. I almost neglected to mention:  "Mushrooms block tumor growth and have anti-estrogenic activity – regular consumption of mushrooms – as little as one mushroom per day – has been shown to decrease breast cancer risk by up to 60-70%." 2. 


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Cream of Mushroom Soup the Nutritarian way, www.StyleNectar.com

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 
1 onion, chopped
  • 
2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 
10
    oz button mushrooms, coarsly chopped
  • 
10 oz cremini mushrooms,coarsly chopped
  • 
3-4
    c. vegetable broth (depending on how thick you want the soup)

  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme

  • 2 or 3 tbsp. dry white wine

  • 1 tsp (or to taste) Himalayen or Celtic Sea Salt

  • 1/4 tsp
    freshly ground black pepper
  • a handful of raw cashews (maybe 1/4 to 1/3 cup) depending on how thick you want the soup (soak overnight if you don't have a heavy-duty Vitamix blender- personally I soak then dehydrate all nuts as it removes enzyme inhibitors making them easily digestible & an active, live food with live enzymes/benefits galore.)
  • almond milk (1/4 c. give or take depending on how thick you want your soup) 

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion
    and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release most of their
    liquid.
  2. Add the broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat
    and simmer for 10 minutes. 
  3. Stir in the wine, salt, and pepper and cook for 3
    minutes. 
  4. Turn off the heat and cool slightly. 
  5. Using a heavy duty blender, such as a Vitamix, add cashews, almond milk and soup to the blender (add soup in batches if necessary) and puree until smooth & silky. 
  6. Taste for desired richness and add more cashews or almond milk as necessary. Check seasonings. Warm through before serving if necessary.
  7. Enjoy!

 

Stay tuned for a to die for Mushroom Tapanade coming later this week…

You may also enjoy: Triple Berry Parfait with Cashew Cream!

 

Footnotes/References: 

1. www.DiseaseProof.comDairy and cancer

Dairy products contain many hormone-containing and -promoting substances. U.S. cheese consumption has increased 182% (almost 3-fold) in the past 30 years11, and the incidence of our hormone sensitive cancers has also increased. There are strong associations between dairy consumption and prostate cancer.12,13,14Interestingly, some studies have found that prostate cancer risk was elevated with increased consumption of low-fat milk specifically, suggesting that the potential threat to prostate health may be more closely linked to dairy protein than dairy fat.15,16 Ovarian cancer risk is also elevated by consumption of dairy products equivalent to three glasses of cow's milk per day.17,18 Butter use is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer in women.19 Eating larger amounts of dairy products during childhood is associated with adult testicular and colorectal cancer.20,21 

Cow's milk is the perfect food for the rapidly growing calf, but foods that promote rapid growth promote cancer. Consuming dairy protein on a regular basis elevates blood levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).22IGF-1 is known to stimulate the growth of both normal and cancer cells, and there is a strong and consistent association between serum IGF-1 concentrations and prostate cancer risk.23 One study showed that men who had the highest levels of IGF-1 had more than four times the risk of prostate cancer compared with those who had the lowest levels.24 If you choose to consume dairy, minimize your intake to small amounts – dairy products are not essential for good health and carries potential health risks.

2. www.DiseaseProof.com, Strategies for Preventing Breast Cancer, 6 

As promised here is the delicious Chilled Carrot Soup with Lemon-buttered Farfalle recipe I made from our garden's prolific carrot harvest…  It's a lovely French recipe combining cool, luxuriously silky, sweet, carrot puree with unctious lemon-buttered pastas tossed in fresh dill.  

THE perfect light yet decadent meal for this hot, steamy weather.

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Chilled French Carrot Soup w/ Lemon-buttered Farfalle

Chilled Carrot Soup with Lemon-buttered Farfalle

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons butter (separated)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 pound carrots peeled and sliced into coins (if they're baby carrots don't peel)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups farfalle pasta
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (separated)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Method:

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sautee until soft, about 5 minutes. 
  2. Add the carrots, honey and nutmeg and continue to sautee for another 10 minutes.
  3. Add the chicken stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes until the carrots are softened.
  4. Puree the liquid using an immersion blender or in a Vitamix for the silkiest, smooth result possible.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice into the soup.  Chill for a few hours or overnight.
  5. Prior to serving, cook the farfalle pasta to package directions. Drain and return to pot with 1 tablespoon of butter and stir to coat. Add the fresh chopped dill and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the pasta and combine.
  6. Ladle the chilled carrot soup into shallow serving bowls. Divide the dilled pasta amongst the soup bowls, mounding a small amount in the center of each bowl.

Enjoy!

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Chilled French Carrot Soup w/ Lemon-buttered Farfalle


PS. Don't forget to check out StyleNectar's convenient Recipe Index!

It's been a few weeks since my last post because we've been away on vacation. In addition to sharing a few vaca snaps with you, I have a delicious new recipe you'll love for a Chilled French Carrot Soup with Lemon-buttered Farfalle which I'll share in my next post.

Our vacation was spent in beloved Chatham, Mass (Cape Cod) and Nantucket, a part of the world where the weather is always mild and the sunlight ever clear and bright.  We adore the salty sea breezes, beautiful sandy beaches and silver, cedar shingled houses covered in climbing pink roses with hydrangeas galore and the lushest of English gardens.

We biked and we hiked, Jim fly fished and I sketched (lot's of material for upcoming paintings!). We strolled lazily through beautiful art galleries, window shopped and frequented The Bean (our favorite Nantucket coffee house) a couple times a day. Dining on Nantucket is absolutely fabulous. So much so that we simply allowed ourselves to steep in the romance of beautiful, fresh flavors and wonderful ambiance rather than bothering to photo-document it all. Just a few of our favorites are Company of the CauldronOran MorPearl, Lola 41  and Toppers. All amazing.

Meanwhile, miles away back at the home front, our garden was going into overdrive, providing us a bounty of fresh produce to help keep us light and cool for the hot, steamy weather that welcomed us home (think 95+ and high humidity).  Jim brought in beans, peas, jalapenos, ruby beets, herbs and gorgeous baby collards, red leaf lettuce, beet greens and nasturtiums (DELISH in salads) plus six pounds of beautiful baby French carrots… I'm sure I'm forgetting some things too!

Our abundance of carrots resulted in a delicious Chilled French Carrot Soup with Lemon-buttered Farfalle I'll share in my next post…  The perfect, light meal for this hot, steamy weather.

~

Nantucket and Chatham Snapshots ~ Part I

Stay tuned… I'll be sharing a few more snaps with you soon!

(As always, click images for a better, larger view)

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Bye for now… I'll be sharing a few more snaps with you soon!

PS. Check out StyleNectar's convenient Recipe Index!

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Cozy Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup

There's nothing better than cozying up to a bowl of steaming, healthy goodness on a chilly winter day.  My favorite Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup will warm your insides, leaving you well nourished and happy!  This garlicky, tomato-based bowl of hearty veggies & cannellini beans is enlivened with bright green wilted spinach and a dusting of Pecorino Romano dotted with truffle oil. A simple dish you can rely on when you want simple, healthy, comfort to warm your soul!

Recipe for Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced  
  • 2 carrots, diced 
  • 2 stalks celery, diced,  
  • 1 small zucchini, diced  
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz) can low-sodium canellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
  • freshly grated Pecorino Romano 
  • Truffle Oil for finishing (or substitute best quality EVOO)

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, aproximately 5 minutes.
  2. Add the broth and tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil. Add the white beans and the spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 more minutes.
  3. Ladel into bowls; top with freshly grated Pecorino Romano & drizzle with truffle oil.

Enjoy!

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Tuscan White Bean & Veggie Soup