What first caught my attention about this Roasted Red Pepper Soup, was the idea of roasting red peppers. I simply love bell peppers. Whether they’re raw and eaten as a healthy snack, or used as a healthy addition to stir-fry and/or fajita dishes; they’re one of my favorite fruits. Yes, it’s a fruit; not a vegetable.

Truthfully, I use peppers in dishes all the time. One of my favorite ways to use them is to stuff them with brown rice and onions. Cover with some cheese, then bake them in the oven. Easy and delicious! Or, with whatever satisfies the craving of the day. Despite how much I love cooking with them, I don’t believe I’ve ever used them as the main base for a soup before.

Additionally, I don’t believe I have ever used cashews in a soup recipe before either!

According to PlantYou, you should soak them overnight, or boil them for 15 minutes. Since this was all new to me, I looked into the basic information about using raw cashews in cooking. If you’re looking to know more about this too, here is a great article from eating by elaine.

Not only does she explain why and how they should be soaked (I find it quite interesting, to be honest), but she also reminds us of the benefits of cashews. This includes being an excellent source of vitamin K, copper, magnesium, zinc… the list goes on! With great photos to go along with all of her interesting information, it’s a page I am definitely bookmarking or pinning for future reference.

However, if you’d like to omit cashews altogether, you can use Pine Nuts instead. Or, for a nut-free version, you can use 1/4 cup of Tahini, white beans, or, sunflower seeds.

Before roasting, to out of the oven, and freshly blended. Yum!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients

1 Cauliflower (Cut into Florets)

3 Red Bell Peppers, diced

1 Yellow Onion, sliced

5 Garlic Cloves, peeled

4 Cups Vegetable Broth

1/2 Cup Raw Cashews*, or Substitute

1 tsp. each Smoked Paprika, Nutritional Yeast, and Cider Vinegar

*Soak cashews overnight or boil for 15 minutes; see explanation above.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.
Next, place the cauliflower, bell pepper, onion and garlic on a lined baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes, giving it a quick toss 15 minutes in. Meanwhile, place the other ingredients into a large pot.
Bring pot to a boil, and then let it simmer (uncovered) for about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Then, an immersion blender, puree until completely smooth.
Finally, garnish and serve.

Enjoy!

If you haven’t purchased “Plant You” By Carleigh Bodrug yet, I highly recommend that you do. Even if you’re not vegetarian or vegan, this recipe book is full of delicious meal ideas.

Don’t worry, I’m not here to shove vegetarianism/veganism on you. Really, I’m not. I’m not even a vegetarian (anymore). However, just as an experiment, maybe see how you feel when you eat meat versus when you eat meatless meals. Even, for just a little while! Think of it as a tiny health experiment. Replacing even one meat dish a week with a vegetarian version is a great way to discover new cooking methods. Trust me, merely trying new ingredients is fun!

Personally, I simply make a point to not eat meat excessively. Having delicious, meat-free meal options when I’m in a “no meat” mood is extremely helpful. I truly just feel better when I eat more plant-based meals.

Vegetarian-friendly recipes will continue to be posted sporadically. Don’t worry- they’re additions to other “regular” meals. Just be sure to follow me to stay up-to-date! Until next time, happy cooking!