Golden Cauliflower Soup

This creamy cauliflower soup gets just a hint of cheesiness from nutritional yeast. The soup is filled with potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower -- a great way to eat your vegetables!

makes 6 cups

1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 6 cups)
1 TB olive oil
½ a small onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 ½ cups potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1 ¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper, or more to taste
1 TB nutritional yeast flakes

Place the cauliflower florets in a steamer basket and steam until tender.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the potatoes, carrots, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat. Simmer, covered, until the potatoes and carrots are completely tender (the potatoes should be falling-apart tender so the blended soup does not become gluey).

When the cauliflower is tender, measure out 2 cups of the florets and set aside. Add the rest of the cauliflower to the potato mixture.

Remove from heat and transfer the soup to a Vita-Mix or other blender, in batches if necessary, and purée until smooth. Pour soup into a clean saucepan and return to the stove on medium-low heat. Add the cauliflower florets, salt, white pepper, and nutritional yeast flakes. Cook, stirring, until warmed through. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve as is or sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds.