Guest Blogger: Keepin’ It Kind – Spring Onion & Celery Soup

Please welcome our newest blogger, Kristy, author of Keepin’ It Kind. She is a year old vegan with a lengthy vegetarian history behind her. Here she is in her own words, “My name is Kristy, and I am the author of Keepin’ It kind, a blog I do with my husband, Chris, who does the majority of the photography (sometimes I get a hold of the camera!).  I am a former personal trainer, turned world-traveler, turned fromagier, turned production assistant and blogger.  After being vegetarian for at least 8 years, Chris and I became vegan almost a year ago and I have never been happier in my life.  Aside from marrying my husband, it was the greatest decision I’ve ever made!” Please visit Kristy on her Facebook page and bookmark/follow her blog. Please welcome Kristy!

Because we live on the coast, it is always quite a bit cooler here than in the rest of LA. While the rest of LA is welcoming warm early summer nights, we are still throwing our sweatshirts on in the evening. I don’t miss it at all (I lived in West Hollywood for a while and I had more than my share of hot, balmy nights) and it also means that it’s still soup-for-dinner weather.

My most recent soup creation was inspired by some gorgeous spring onions our CSA sent us. Adorable, curvacious white bulbs at the base of lovely kelly green stalks- absolutely stunning! While I used a couple here and there in other recipes, this one really showed off their fresh, sweetly bitter (I know- it sounds like an oxy moron, but it’s the only way I can describe them) taste. Paired with the crispness of the celery, you have yourself a light refreshing spring soup, perfect for those nights that are still cool enough to heat up the kitchen.

SPRING ONION & CELERY SOUP

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 1 large head of celery, or 2 small heads, chopped (should fill about 5 cups)
• ½ a head of cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2-3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 ½ tsp thyme
• 2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups water
• 3 T nutritional yeast (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add garlic and sauté until “golden.” Add the celery, cauliflower, spring onions, spices, and liquid smoke (if using). Mix to combine. Saute for about 5 minutes.

• Add the vegetable broth and the water, and stir to combine. Put a lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce to a simmer and tilt the lid on the pot so that there is a little crack for steam to get out. Let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes, then remove from heat.

• If you have an immersion blender, use it to pureé the soup to your desired consistency. If you only have a standing blender, add the soup to the blender in batches and blend until all of the soup is pureéd. At this point, you can add in the Nutritional Yeast, which will give it a thicker, slightly cheesy taste. You can also add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into bowls, serve with some crusty bread and enjoy!

Is it still cool at night where you live?

All Photos taken by Chris Miller

© Kristy Turner and Keepin’ It Kind, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (content and images) without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kristy Turner and Keepin’ It Kind with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.