Vegan Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Yesterday was a freaky. During the day it was a sunny 65 degrees and I was out at the beehive watching the girls flying around and having fun. By late afternoon the temperatures dropped to 38 degrees and the wind brought gusts up to 60 mph all night long. One of the things I like best about NE OH is the unpredictable, dramatic and extreme weather that mother nature brings our way. So with the drama of the storm I went right into soup making mode. Piping hot soup seemed to pair perfectly with the sleety rain and horrific winds. I took an inventory of what I had in the fridge and pantry and, before you know it, the kitchen permeated with the smell of Vegan Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup.

This was the first time I made this soup. I wouldn’t change anything at all. It was hearty and very filling. The cashew, cannellini and broth mixture provides the cream base for the soup and wow is it delicious. It is hard to believe it is dairy, fat, oil and salt free.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans
• 4 large carrots (cut in coins)
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 6 garlic toes chopped
• 1 cup dry wild rice (thoroughly rinsed)
• 8 oz. fresh white mushrooms (cut in pieces)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. fresh (preferred) or dried parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. miso paste

What is Miso Paste? Miso paste is made by fermenting soybeans with salt and koji (a mold that is also used to make saki). Miso paste is considered a green light substitute for salt. Although it has sodium in it the soy seems to counteract the hypertensive effects. An article published in Hypertension Research, “Long-Term Intake Miso Soup Decreases Nighttime Blood Pressure in Subjects of High-Normal Pressure or Stage 1 Hypertension” concludes by saying long term use of miso does not influence daytime blood pressure but does reduce nighttime blood pressure by promoting diuresis. Dr. Michael Greger, M.D. FACLM, an internationally recognized researcher and speaker on nutrition, states in his best selling book How Not to Die that miso paste is safe to use as a substitute for salt. Despite the research, I am still on the fence and use it only occasionally.

Why rinse the long grained rice? Arsenic in rice is a real concern. The FDA suggests thoroughly rinsing rice 6-8 times (until the water rinses clear) in order to reduce arsenic levels by 30-40 percent. I have read articles that recommend overnight soaking in order to reduce levels by 80 percent. Rinsing rice is also a great way to remove surface starch thereby lowering the carbohydrate content. This is a useful tip for individuals with diabetes.

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Pour in the cashews and cover the pot. Let cashews soak for 30 minutes (minimum) to 1 hour. Drain the water. Note: Soaking pulls the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors out of the cashews making the cream tastier and easier to digest. The longer you soak the cashews the softer they become and the smoother and silkier your cream will be.
2. In a large soup pot saute the onions, garlic and celery in some vegetable broth until onions become translucent.
3. Add 7 cups of the vegetable broth, carrots, wild rice, mushrooms, thyme, black pepper, parsely, bay leaves and miso paste. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 40 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. In a high speed blender add the cashews, cannellini beans and the remaining 1 cup vegetable broth. Puree for approximately 1 minute until mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
5. Pour the cashew cream into the soup, stir and simmer for 15 more minutes. The soup is done when the carrots are soft and the rice is completely cooked. Remove the bay leaves. Serve with your favorite. bread.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41440-019-0304-9#publish-with-us