Super simple cauliflower soup

Its now entering the third week of summer here in Australia and Im still cooking soup! At this time of the year, we are usually having BBQs for dinner in the backyard, enjoying the sun and warm weather and cursing ourselves for forgetting to water the garden – again – with sad looking vegetables struggling to grow in the dry soil.

This year however, there has been no BBQs, or warm weather (or much sunshine either for that matter), nor have we had to worry too much about watering the garden, as the rains have been doing that for us. On the upside however, the garden is growing like a champ and my potted hydrangea plant which I thought had died on a particularly hot day last summer has since sprung back to life.

So while we dont have any warm weather to speak of at moment, I will continue cooking more warming foods like this soup until one day – hopefully soon – when the weather warms up and we will be able to start barbequing again. In the meantime, here is a recipe for you which is one of my go-to soup recipes(along with this one). It is incredibly simple and quick to make and tastes velvety and smooth whilst remaining dairy free. Its another great mid-week soup, and freezes brilliantly if you make extra.

Super simple cauliflower soup

1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 can white beans, drained (I use lima beans, but any will work)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Heat oil in a large pan over high to medium heat. Add garlic and cook a minute or two until nice and fragrant and just starting to brown. Add cauliflower and stir to coat and then add the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add beans and cook a further 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and blend until smooth using a bamix or blender.

Serve top with extra nutmeg, chopped fresh herbs or greek yoghurt.

Serves 2-3 as a main or 4-6 as an entree