Happy Fall Ya’ll: Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Serenity, Fall is here and so is soup season. Like today’s Cauliflower Soup – you know, potato soups ‘healthy’ and less carb-y best friend. I know Fall is here because there are decorative pumpkins that have been rolling around my living room floor waiting for their perfect placement by the mums. The bright colors of my summer decor have been replaced by hues and burnt orange and olive. I’m planning all the leaf peeping hikes to take the next few weekends with the family. The mornings just scream that fall is here. It’s cool, a little breezy and my coffee never tasted better.

But then afternoon comes and we regress. It’s back to hot and the mums think so too. On top of it, I’m flustered that the pumpkins are still on the floor. There is already a chocolate stain on my new throw pillows.

Much like the summer means grilling, Fall means the soups are making a comeback. So here’s the first one for the season, a Loaded Cauliflower Soup. You know the somewhat-lighter, less carby version of that ever so cozy, classic potato soup. (Try this mushroom-y version from Latvia, as well!)

Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower head, roughly chopped
• 16 oz, chicken broth
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-3 stalks celery, diced
• 2 cups, milk
• 2 tbsp. flour

Toppings

• Cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Chives
• Dill
• Bacon crumbles

Directions

1. On medium-high heat, start by cooking bacon through until crispy. Remove bacon pieces from the pot and set aside for later. Hide them from your family because they will eat them all before the soup is done.
2. Discard most of the the remaining bacon grease, leaving only about two tablespoons to sauté the onion and celery until they are soft.
3. Add the flour and stir until the onion/celery mixture is coated.
4. Slowly add milk and stir until it becomes a gravy like consistency.
5. Add chicken broth and cauliflower pieces. Cook on medium heat until cauliflower has cooked through. (about 15 minutes)
6. Using a slotted spoon, move cauliflower and onion pieces to a blender or food processor. It may help the blending process to use about a cup of the broth well. Blend/puree the cauliflower for about a minute. Pour back into the pot and stir.
7. Your soup is complete. Top it to your liking and hope those bacon crumbles made it to this point in the recipe!

File: Loaded Cauliflower Soup