Several of you have asked for vegan or vegetarian recipes. There will be many of these, as my wife and I love vegetables. Here’s the first.

The day I started experimenting with this recipe was cold and rainy. My thoughts turned to a bowl of rich creamy soup. I wanted something hearty and filling without all the fat of standard cream soups. Traditional cream soups are full of butter and heavy cream. I decided to go for something healthier and maybe a little easier to make.

Notes:

1) You can use store bought broth, but I prefer to make my own. Here’s a link to my basic vegetable stock.

2) You can use a blender or hand-held mixer to cream the soup. I recommend the hand-held mixer to avoid pouring hot soup into the blender.

Here’s what you need to make six to eight servings.

1 – 15 oz. can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

2 Tbsp. - extra virgin olive oil (divided)

1 – small white onion, diced

2 – cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. - salt

1 – head cauliflower (about 2 lbs.) broken into small florets and the stalk chopped

4 – sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed from stems and roughly chopped

1/4 tsp. – crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)

4-1/2 cups – vegetable broth (store bought or homemade)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans. Place in a bowl with one tablespoon of the olive oil and toss to coat. Spread the garbanzos in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in 400-degree oven until golden brown (15 to 20 minutes).

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large stockpot. When the oil starts to shimmer add the onion and cook until soft and starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the cauliflower, rosemary, salt and pepper flakes. Cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for five minutes or until the cauliflower is tender. Transfer to a blender or use a hand-held mixer to blend until smooth and creamy. Add a little more vegetable broth or water if the soup is too thick.

Taste and add a little more salt if needed. You can also add a dash of freshly ground black pepper at this stage.

Ladle into bowls, top with garbanzo beans. Serve with crackers or bread. For a little more flavor, top with crumbled bacon or chives.

© Luvs Good Food/Bob Mack

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