Creamy Mushroom Cauliflower Soup

This is an excellent vegan soup that we like to serve at the temple. You can leave out the onions and garlic for monastics and serve green onions and/or sautéed onions and garlic in a special bowl as a condiment to add to the soup for non-monastics.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 lb Mushrooms, sliced (use fresh and/or reconstituted dry wild mushrooms for taste)
• 1/2 tsp Fresh thyme (go to herb garden)
• 1/2 Lemon zest
• 1/2 Onion, sliced (optional)
• 1 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
• 1 Celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 Large head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 1/4  tsp Mushroom powder
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Cups vegetable broth or water
• 1/2 Cup Coconut cream or milk
• 2 Finely chopped green onions (optional)

Directions

1. Soak dried mushrooms in warm water until soft; slice soaked dry and/or fresh mushrooms. Save soaking water. In large soup pot, heat half of the oil. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown and tender.
   Set half of the mushrooms aside, leaving the rest in the pot. Add remaining oil with onion and garlic, if used, and celery. Cook until tender.
   Add cauliflower to the pot with salt, pepper, mushroom powder, and mustard. Sauté until fragrant, then add broth or water (use water mushrooms were soaked in). Cook another 5-7 minutes until tender. Purée soup with immersion blender. Add reserved mushrooms, lemon zest, fresh thyme, and coconut cream. Combine and reheat, if needed, and serve. Garnish with minced green onions, if using.
2. MONASTICS: Do not use onions or garlic and use more mushrooms as substitute. May serve with minced green onions and/or sautéed onion and garlic in separate bowl(s)  as condiment(s) for non-monastics.