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For health reasons, I try to limit the amount of animal product I consume. I limit my meat intake to two days a week when possible, and also eat mainly fish or poultry when I do. Other than a little cheese now and then, I don't eat dairy products. These changes to my lifestyle have resulted in gradual, but noticeable, weight loss and measurably better health.

However, I'm no saint. I have been known to host elaborate BBQs where much meat is sacrificed to the god of the grill. I've also been know to indulge in the awesomeness provided at Brazilian churrascarias. All things in moderation, including moderation.

I originally developed this recipe for Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup as part of a detox diet I undergo after one of my red meat binges. While the two soups can be eaten separately, I like the contrast between the smooth, garlicky cauliflower puree and the chunkier, more robust broccoli soup. Since I have vegetarian and vegan friends who always appreciate a good recipe, I made this soup even healthier by leaving out any animal products and using only one tablespoon of vegetable oil. In order to give the soup creaminess and deep flavors, I use a combination of carefully caramelized onions, silken tofu, and pungent aromatics. If you're looking for a healthy alternative to cream soups, or want another recipe for your detox diet, I hope you'll give my Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup a try. It's quick, simple, delicious, and really really good for you.

To start, we need to prepare our thickening agent, what I like to call our "faux roux". We'll use our faux roux to create a base flavor for our soups and add a nice, silky texture. Mouth feel is very important when constructing a good soup. Since normal roux is made using butter and this is a vegan recipe, I had to come up with something that would do the same job and add the same amount of flavor.

Recipe for Faux Roux

Gear (Faux Roux):

1 small frying pan or saucepan
1 spatula
1 cutting board
1 knife
1 food processor


Ingredients (Faux Roux):

2-3 large yellow onions
1 block of silken tofu
1 tsp of vegetable oil (Extra virgin olive oil preferred.)


Prep work (Faux Roux):



Drain the block of silken tofu. Set aside.

Clean and thinly slice the onions.


Instructions (Faux Roux):



Heat the oil on a burner set to medium. Add the onion slices and gently caramelize. If the onions sizzle loudly or appear to be in danger of burning, drop the heat to medium-low. The onions will need to be stirred every few minutes. This process will take around half an hour, but is crucial to the flavor of the soups.



Once the onions have reached a deep, golden color, remove them from the heat. If you want an even stronger flavor, you can keep going for a little while longer. However, there's very little time between this stage and burnt onions, so be careful.



Blend the silken tofu and caramelized onions together in the food processor until very smooth. Set aside.

Faux roux is best used the same day it was made. It doesn't keep well in the refrigerator, and should be added to the soup you want to thicken as quickly as possible.

Makes 2 cups. We'll use all of it for this recipe.

Recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Gear (Creamy Cauliflower Soup):

1 large pot
1 spatula
1 cutting board
1 knife
1 food processor


Ingredients (Creamy Cauliflower Soup):

1 large head of cauliflower
3-7 cloves of garlic, depending on preference
1 cup of faux roux
Kosher salt to taste


Prep work (Creamy Cauliflower Soup):

Clean and thoroughly wash the cauliflower. Separate into florets.



Peel and clean the garlic.


Instructions (Creamy Cauliflower Soup):



Bring a pot of water to a roiling boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt, then the cauliflower. Let the cauliflower blanch for two minutes before removing from heat and draining.



Puree the cauliflower and garlic in the food processor until smooth.



Add the pureed cauliflower and garlic back to the pot, along with one cup of faux roux and two cups of water.



Bring the cauliflower soup to a boil over medium heat and stir until well blended. Let simmer for five minutes and salt to taste before serving.

Serves 2-3. When combined with the other soup, the final dish will serve 4-6.

Recipe for Creamy Broccoli Soup

Gear (Creamy Broccoli Soup):

1 large pot
1 spatula
1 cutting board
1 knife
1 food processor


Ingredients (Creamy Broccoli Soup):

2 large bunches of broccoli
1 medium lemon
1 cup of faux roux
Kosher salt to taste


Prep work (Creamy Broccoli Soup):

Clean and thoroughly was the broccoli. Separate into large florets. Roughly chop the stems.



Juice the lemon, removing any seeds.


Instructions (Creamy Broccoli Soup):



Bring a pot of water to a roiling boil over high heat. Add a pinch of salt, then the cauliflower. Let the broccoli blanch for two minutes before removing from heat and draining.



Puree the broccoli in the food processor until it's as smooth as possible. It's all right if the broccoli is still a little chunky. If you prefer a smoother soup, add half a cup of water, but remember to subtract that water from the cooking liquid for the soup.



Add the pureed broccoli back to the pot, along with one cup of faux roux and two cups of water.



Bring the broccoli soup to a boil over medium heat and stir until well blended. Let simmer for five minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and salt to taste before serving.

Serves 2-3. When combined with the other soup, the final dish will serve 4-6.




Serve the soups by pouring into opposite sides of the soup bowl at the same time. My favorite way to enjoy this meal is with chunk of crusty, whole grain bread.

Good eating!