Even though Spring weather is starting to make occasional appearances here in NYC, I'm still mostly craving chilly weather foods-- namely, soup. The thing is, I'm kind of picky about my soups, but the ones I grew up loving (creamy ones, like chowder) aren't always the healthiest. 

My Vitamix has been a source of magic in my kitchen since I got it over the holidays. I was a bit skeptical about using it to make soups, since my brain was wired to just associate blenders with cold things like smoothies. But man, it produces the creamiest, smoothest soups ever.

It's no secret that I'm cauliflower's biggest fan (roasted, casserole-d, salads), but I hadn't really explored cauliflower soup before. One of the soups I grew up loving was potato leek soup, so when I thought of a creamy cauliflower soup, leeks came to mind as the perfect flavor combination. I was initially intimidated at the thought of cleaning leeks, as I've heard they're a big pain in the butt, but this guide made it super easy and it was actually really quick to clean and chop.

This soup is super easy, simple, and extremely filling. It can easily be made vegan, and it's gluten-free. I also have a crazy schedule and sometimes cooking dinner after a long day is the last thing I want to do, so I love making a big batch of soup of saving some in the freezer for those lazy nights.

Let's get on with it, shall we? 

Healthy Cauliflower Leek Soup

*serves 3-4 people
*Gluten-free, Vegan optional (instructions below)

Ingredients

1 medium head of Cauliflower, cleaned and divided into florets
1 Leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
32oz carton of Stock (I used Chicken, you can use veggie if vegan!)
2 cups of Milk (I used Almond-Cashew milk, use what you wish)
1 tbsp grass-fed Butter OR Coconut Oil (use Coconut oil if vegan!)
2 tbsp Olive Oil OR Coconut Oil
Salt to taste
Chives or Scallions to garnish

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 360ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum.

2. In a large mixing bowl, toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and salt. Spread florets evenly on baking sheet, and place baking sheet in oven. Roast for about 30 minutes until florets are fully cooked and get some nice roasted-brown color. Remove from oven and set aside.

3. In a large pot over medium heat, place butter (or coconut oil) and chopped leeks and saute until leeks are fully softened. Add crushed garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add cauliflower florets, milk, and stock. Simmer mixture for about 10 minutes. 

4. From here, if you have an immersion blender, blend soup right in the pot. If using regular blender, wait for soup to slightly cool to handling temperature, pour soup mixture into blender and blend until fully creamy and smooth. Plate and serve with desired garnish!

Soup will remain good in the fridge in airtight containers for 2-3 days, or you can freeze in airtight containers for 2-3 months.