Winter Wild Rice Soup

Wild rice soup is so dang good. I haven't had it in years and never pass up an opportunity to veganize any dish. So that is what I did! This is full of autumn veggies, rich spices a luscious creamy goodness that comforts you and leaves you super satisfied! I hope you enjoy this one!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 7 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 3 small carrots, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 1 large sweet potato or 4 small yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp coconut amino or soy sauce
• 1.5 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning* (see notes for homemade version)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 3 Tbsp vegan butter*
• 1/4 cup gluten free flour*
• 1.5 cups almond milk*
• 2 large handfuls of kale, chopped with stems removed
• 1/2 lemon squeezed
• Real salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

NOTES:

**To make the Homemade Old Bay Seasoning: 

• 2 Tbsp paprika
• 2 Tbsp real salt
• 2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp dried bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp celery salt
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

---> Blitz all ingredients in a coffee grinder and store in an airtight container.


** Instead of making a cream sauce with butter/flour/milk you can use one can of full fat coconut milk OR 1 cup cashew cream keeping this completely OIL FREE as well!


DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp veggie broth in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring until soft and fragrant.  Add in the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
2. Add in the veggie stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf, garlic powder, coconut aminos, dried thyme and "Old Bay" seasoning. Stir to combine.
3. Continue cooking on medium high until the soup begins to simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. When the potatoes are soft and rice is fully cooked, add the chopped kale and prepare the cream sauce in a separate saucepan on the stove. (If not using cream sauce just add in the coconut milk, stir and allow to cook for another 5 minutes.)
5. For the cream sauce, add the vegan butter over medium-high heat until melted. Whisk in the GF flour until combined, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add in the almond milk, and whisk until fully incorporated. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the mixture gets thicker then add to the soup.
6. Squeeze the lemon in, stir and taste. Add more salt and pepper as needed. EAT!
7. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.