Cream of mushroom soup

When your mushrooms are almost at the end of their life, don’t discard them. Make cream of mushroom soup. This delicious soup will warm you up during the cold fall evenings. The recipe is plant-based but can be made with dairy cream if you want or with chicken broth. I must say the plant-based version is spectacular!

Servings; 4

Total time 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 lbs Crimini mushrooms

• handful of Shitake or any other mushrooms on hand

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 3 tsp garlic paste

• 3/4 tsp thyme

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1/2 cup cream (plant-based or non)

• 1/4 cup cream for garnish

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sized saucepan and add finely chopped onions and saute till golden brown.

2. Add all the mushrooms and saute till liquid has evaporated. Add garlic paste, salt pepper, thyme and broth. Bring to boil then add cream

3. Blend all ingredients and place again in the pot to reheat

4. Ladle soup in bowls and garnish with a drizzle of cream and chopped parsley

5. Serve with toasted french bread

French onion soup

Whether you are into plant based eating or not, this soup is amazing plant-based. The caramelized onions makes it so satiating and your taste buds dancing with joy. If you aren’t following a plant-based diet, just add your favourite cheese on top and melt it down. So yummy!

Serves 4

Prep/cook time 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp plant based margarine 

• 2tbsp olive oil

• 4 shallots finely sliced

• 3 large onions sliced

• 1 red onion finely sliced

• 3 tsp sea salt

• Black pepper to taste

• 1 sprig of thyme

• 2tsp dried sage

• 1 tbsp gluten free flour or all purpose flour

• 240 ml dried white wine

• 1 litre hot vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp rosemary leaves

• 4-6 slices of French baguette 

• 1 garlic clove

• grated plant based cheese 

Directions:

1. Caramelize shallots and onions in the margarine and oil in a large saucepan. Add salt, pepper, thyme and sage and cook for 20 minutes.

2. When the onions are golden, add flour and stir well to coat the onions. Cook for a minute the add wine to deglaze the pan. Bring the liquid to boil before adding the hot vegetable stock, bay leaf and rosemary.  Cover and let soup cook for 20 minutes.

3. Toast slices of baguette 🥖. Cut garlic cloves in half and rub on the slices of toasted bread.

4. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig, then ladle the soup into your serving bowls and arrange toasted baguette topped with grated cheese. Place your bowls onto a baking sheet then place each one under the grill for 2 minutes. 

5. Top with fresh thyme leaves and fresh black pepper.

Enjoy!!