On Vegan Creamy Cauliflower Soup and Running Sessions at Gordon Beach

Every Wednesday, I wake up at 5:30 AM just to make it to my morning workout at Gordon Beach in Tel Aviv.

It's a tough running session that combines running in the water and through soft, sinking sand. If you haven't experienced an interval workout in soft sand, you haven't known pure suffering.

But I must admit, these workouts have significantly boosted my running performance and made me a much stronger runner since I started training back in the cold winter months.

But that's not exactly what I wanted to write about today.

I don't know if you've noticed, but when I woke up at 5:30 today, it was still pitch black. Yes, the days are getting shorter, and even if you don't feel it yet, autumn is just around the corner.

This is a great opportunity to start thinking about the holiday meals and especially to start planning the food we’re going to eat or cook (or both).

As I do every year, I make sure to remind you that holiday meals can be a calorie bomb that results in extra kilograms by the end of the season—the kind you'll want to lose a few months later.

One of the solutions, in my opinion, is incorporating foods into the meal that are very rich in dietary fiber and fluids, which provide a sense of satiety and fullness early on in the meal.

For example: this vegan creamy cauliflower soup. I can promise you it is low in calories and fat, fills the stomach, and contains a very reasonable amount of calories.

Regarding the taste: it feels creamy and "milky" even though it contains no dairy.

And I can promise you it feels very festive; it doesn't just feel "healthy," but even slightly decadent.

I really like eating it cold, similar to a Tzatziki soup, but it can definitely be served hot.

A post shared by Haggai Leffler - Vegan Athlete (@haggai_leffler) on Aug 15, 2018 at 9:25pm PDT

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How to eat it?

A portion of soup can definitely serve as a filling and healthy starter.

It will make you eat less during the main holiday meal due to its fluid and fiber content.

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Nutritional values by nutritionist and fitness trainer Noam Bechar

One serving of soup (350g) contains:

200 kcal

8g protein

19g carbohydrates

12g fat (of which 2g is saturated fat)

9g dietary fiber

Another cauliflower recipe? How about a cauliflower casserole?

Print

Vegan Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower approx. 1.25 - 1.5 kg
• 1 Jerusalem artichoke about 15 cm long
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion one medium-sized unit
• 1 tbsp almond butter 30g
• juice from half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger

For the salad topping

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• handful basil leaves
• 3 radishes
• 2 green onions
• 1 tbsp blanched slivered almonds 15g

Instructions

1. Break the cauliflower into florets.
2. Peel the Jerusalem artichoke root.
3. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
4. Cook the cauliflower florets and Jerusalem artichoke root in the boiling water for about 10 minutes until the vegetables soften.
   
5. Drain the vegetables, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid.
6. Chop the onion and sauté with a tablespoon of olive oil until translucent.
7. Transfer the sautéed onion, cooked vegetables, 2 cups of reserved water, and the remaining soup ingredients to a food processor. Blend thoroughly until a thick, smooth consistency is achieved.
8. Place in the refrigerator to chill (if you prefer to eat it cold—which I highly recommend).
9. Prepare the salad topping.
10. Chop the vegetables and mix with a tablespoon of olive oil.
11. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and top with a bit of the salad.