Curried Cauliflower Coconut Soup Recipe (Vegan) & Fats to Include if Eating Vegan
March 14, 2012 in Homemade, Let's Make it Quick!, Lunch, Nutrients, Soup/Stew, Vegan
I feel like I mention this in every blog post with a vegan recipe, but I just want to be very clear: I’m not a vegan. In fact, I really love raw dairy, grass-fed meat and wild seafood – I just haven’t blogged about them as much as I blog about vegan meals. Why? Simple answer: as an Orthodox Christian, I try to fast from animal products a few times per year, most notably during Lent (i.e. now). I find vegan eating to be quite challenging, because I love natural fats. They keep me satiated, help me stay in shape, and allow me to absorb fat-soluble vitamins in the salads I love to eat everyday. So in order to stay satiated and keep myself from gaining weight during these fasts, I have to get creative with my recipes, and find other sources of natural plant-based fats that can satisfy my cravings. Naturally, when I victoriously produce a satisfying vegan recipe, I am quite eager to blog about it!
Some plant-based fats I enjoy during Lent include:
- Coconut – I love all things coconut, and include it in my diet even when I’m not fasting. I use virgin coconut oil to lightly saute veggies and in smoothies, and in vegan baking. I also use unsweeted, unsulfured shredded coconut
in smoothies and baking, and coconut manna
(dried whole, unsweetened coconut) in smoothies and all kinds of recipes, including this one for curried cauliflower soup. I do avoid store-bought coconut milk though, because a) it has added synthetic vitamins and is watered down b) the creamier ones are sold in cans, and I have a bias towards any kind of plastic lining, even “BPA-free”. I did make coconut milk at home, and I’m planning to blog about it, but it’s kind of a laborious process, so I’d stick with the coconut manna
from time to time to make easy grain-free pancakes and crusts – yum! Anyway, all this to say: I really don’t think I can do a vegan fast without coconut!
- Avocado – I make it no secret that I have an ongoing love-affair with guacamole, but I actually got really excited when I found that I could make a vegan creamy chocolate pudding using avocados a couple of weeks ago. Also, it’s worthwhile to note that avocados are super healthy (and ideal for glowing skin!) This article does a good job discussing some of the health benefits.
- Nuts – There’s really no way to go without nuts if you’re a vegan for any period of time. My favorites are almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, pistachios and cashews. I eat them as is (as snacks), or I soak them and make nut milks, or use them in vegan (homemade) spreads, or even in desserts like this grain-free apple pie or this grain-free pumpkin pie.
- High-quality extra virgin olive oil – It’s no secret that high-quality olive oil is good for health, and I use it liberally on raw salads and in dips. I also sometimes cook with it during vegan fasts, but I try not to do that very often because the jury is still out on how much olive oil oxidizes (releasing free radicals) when heated. I definitely don’t deep fry in olive oil (or any other vegetable oil for that matter). In case you’re curious, I use Nabali Organic Olive Oil from Canaan Fair Trade – one of the purest olive oils on the planet!
How to make a vegan soup super creamy and filling …
If you’re making a vegan soup, but you still want it to have a creamy taste and consistency, you can’t use awesome homemade chicken broth/stock or bone broth, because … well, then it’s not vegan anymore. You also can’t use any dairy products like cream or milk to achieve the creamy effect you so crave. Another thickener used in soups is gluten (in the form of various flours), but if you’re avoiding gluten or grains for health reasons, you won’t be able to use those either. But don’t despair! There’s a great solution, my friends, and it’s called coconut! With coconut oil, manna (dried coconut), and homemade coconut milk, you can achieve the creamiest soup you’ve ever had, and it would still be vegan!
Now, for today’s recipe … if you’re new to cooking, you may be a little confused by the choice of flavors in this soup. Cauliflower + coconut + Indian spices … really? I can imagine some of you thinking, “will this be any good …?” Well, to assuage your fears, I don’t share things that I don’t drool over and crave, so yes, it’s delicious! This recipe was actually inspired by a recipe for creamy (but dairy-free) cauliflower soup made with homemade chicken stock, which I shared on MidEATS several weeks ago. And that recipe was inspired by this really simple vegan cauliflower soup recipe on Food52. Both were lovely, but I wanted to get a little creative and find an excuse to use a lot of organic ground turmeric … you know, the spice that has been shown to slow cancer growth and inhibit inflammation? Yeah, turmeric is pretty darn awesome. So this is basically “Take 3″ of the cauliflower soup extravaganza, and it introduces coconut and Indian spices to a really simple base of water with sauteed onions, cauliflower and garlic. This is so easy; it can be made by someone who really don’t consider himself or herself a cook by any stretch of the imagination. Try it and let me know what you think!
Curried Cauliflower Coconut Soup (Vegan)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients (serves 6)
- 1 head large fresh organic cauliflower, roughly chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons organic virgin coconut oil
- 1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped
- 2-3 fresh garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 6-7 cups hot water (use filtered)
- 3-4 tablespoons organic coconut manna
- 2 tablespoons organic ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon organic garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon organic ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon organic ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon organic ground coriander
- 2 green cardamom pods, seeds crushed (you may use already ground cardamom instead)
- 4-5 fenugreek seeds (optional)
- 2 teaspoons Himalayan sea salt or other unrefined salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh lemon juice, to taste (add to individual plates when serving)
Instructions
(1) Chop and saute onion and garlic: Chop 1 yellow or red onion and saute it on medium heat in a large pot with 2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil. When the onion becomes translucent, add 2-3 cloves of minced garlic and saute for a few more minutes.
(2) Chop cauliflower and add to pot: Once the onions have very lightly browned and become fragrant, add the chopped cauliflower and saute for another few minutes.
(3) Heat water: In a teapot or other pot, add 6-7 cups of filtered water and heat. Pour into pot with cauliflower, onions and garlic, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or so until cauliflower has cooked.
(4) Blend and add seasoning: Using an immersion blender (it’s easier than transferring to blender), blend the cauliflower, onions, garlic and water into a creamy puree. Add 3-4 tablespoons coconut manna (dried coconut), and blend again to melt and incorporate the flavors. Spice it up by adding the turmeric, garam masala, allspice, cumin, coriander, and crushed cardamom pods. Add salt and pepper to taste, blend to mix in spices, and serve while hot, with a few drops of fresh lemon juice if you wish.
*Post shared on Butter Believer’s Sunday School Blog Carnival, Easy Natural Food’s Soup Night, The Healthy Home Economist’s Monday Mania, and Real Food Wednesday.
This is such an informative post! And the soup sounds incredible…Indian spices and the flavor of coconut are a perfect match!
Faith recently posted…Snickercrinkle Cookies
Thank you Faith! I was surprised – the vegan version of this cauliflower was tastier to me than the one with chicken stock
I guess I just really love coconut and Indian spices!
Hi Heba, what a great post! I love how you’ve provided info on some of the healthy alternatives to animal fats (I love my animal fats too, but I also consume my fair share of other fats!) Also your soup sounds delicious, I’m going to Pin this one!
Thanks for pinning – hope you get to try it … it’s one of my new favorites!
This soup is one of my top 3 featured picks from Sunday Night Soup Night! I have just tweeted it, pinned it and shared it on my Facebook page. Thanks for linking up and I hope to see you again soon
Debbie @ Easy Natural Food recently posted…Quick and Easy Dinner
Oh lovely! You’re so kind Debbie. Thanks for sharing it! Anytime I make soup now, I have your blog carnival in mind
WOW! What a great post, and this soup is just gorgeous. You’ve inspired me to make my own cauliflower soup, so thank you!
Be Well,
–Amber
Thanks so much Amber
Yes, it’s so super easy to make — try it sometime and let me know what you think!
No doubts here, looks really good! Nice primer on healthy vegetarian fats, too. Interesting on the avocado in chocolate pudding. I finally got bold and tried avocado in a smoothie– it was a success.
Mary@FitandFed recently posted…Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Thanks Mary! This soup is one of my favorites. And I was skeptical about avocados getting mixed up into dessert … until I tried it! That chocolate pudding is so yum! What kind of smoothie do you make with avocados?
I used a mixed organic frozen fruit blend (pomegranate, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry), pomegranate juice, and half an avocado. I’ve been trying to make a smoothie turn out well using pomegranate juice, but in previous tries haven’t liked the texture. Usually I use frozen fruit, not fruit juice, and the natural fiber makes a thicker smoothie. The avocado made the smoothie thick and creamy and it still tasted like fruit, not avocado.
Mary@FitandFed recently posted…Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Sounds yummy! I have never used pomegranate juice in a smoothie, mostly because I find it too sugary (and not fresh), but I love the addition of avocados, coconut, homemade nut milk, raw milk, raw yogurt, and mild tasting greens like spinach — all of these work well in sweet smoothies, mixed with some kind of seasonal or frozen fruit! Summer is coming, and that means new smoothie experiments in my kitchen
Too sugary? I get unsweetened pomegranate juice from Trader Joe’s, and it’s too tart for me to drink on its own. That’s why I mix in a sweet berry like strawberry in the smoothie (I dislike the combo of pomegranate and banana, so I don’t use that for sweetness). Major dentist visit today, there will definitely be smoothie experiments in my kitchen, summer or no. I have them year-round anyway.
Mary@FitandFed recently posted…Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Hi Mary. The POM brand, which I’ve tried once before, is too sugary for me. I haven’t tried the juice from Trader Joe’s to compare but I imagine it’s pasteurized, no? Most store-bought juices are pasteurized and refined. But it’s good that it’s unsweetened! Fresh pomegranates are the best … I wish I had access to them more often (they usually show up late in the fall in supermarkets, but I wonder if they can be grown in Virginia where I live … hmmm). Sorry to hear about the dentist visit – hope you feel better soon! There’s some info about preventing and healing cavities through nutrition in this link: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://nourishedkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ctdecayqa.pdf&pli=1 Let me know if you get a chance to read it. Take care!
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Maybe the turmeric I used was just extra strong, but I would say that even just 1tsp would be more than enough turmeric. I put in 1/2tbsp and it overpowered everything..
Hi Emma, thanks for your comment! I tried this recipe a few times and mostly end up using a couple of tablespoons of turmeric each time – and have received pretty good feedback about the taste. Turmeric is an incredibly powerful anti-inflammatory so I just try to use more whenever I can get it into a recipe, and curried dishes are always perfect for sneaking more in if possible. I’ll have to pay closer attention to how the turmeric tastes in the soup next time I make it. If I find that it’s too strong, I’ll update to lower the quantity. Thanks for sharing your experience!