Zuppa Toscana

2 links plant-based Italian sausage,

10 oz. of sliced Baby Bellas (optonal)

1 ½ lb yukon gold potatoes cut bite size; optionally sub in some cauliflower florets.

1 large yellow onion, diced

6 cloves garlic minced

5 to 6 cups vegetable stock (start with 5 and then use the 6th cup to make sure no cashew cream is left behind in the Vitamix).

⅓ cup dry white wine or more stock

1 t dried thyme

1 bay leaf

¼ to ½ tsp red chili flakes or to taste

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

4 cups (or more) kale chopped (ALL THICK STEMS REMOVED!) (or substitute spinach or even broccoli)

CASHEW CREAM (optionally you could just use non-dairy milk but it won't be as creamy).

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup water

1 T tapioca OPTIONAL (for thicker soup)

subheading: MAKE THE CASHEW CREAM:

No need to soak if you have a VitaMIX. Start by soaking the cashews in hot water for 20 minutes while you prep your soup. Drain the soaked cashews then add them to a powerful blender together with one cup water and the tapioca. Blend until smooth and creamy.

subheading: INSTANT POT METHOD:

• Saute the diced onion in the Instant Pot on the saute setting, adding water or broth as needed to deglaze the pan. Add sliced sausage (or mushrooms) and red chili flakes and continue cooking until the onion is translucent. Pour in the white wine and scrape all the little brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine has evaporated.

• Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, thyme and smoked paprika.

• Add the potatoes, veggie stock and nutritional yeast. Turn off the SAUTE setting and be sure the pan is thoroughly deglazed to avoid a burn warning.

• Select manual setting for pressure cooking and set time for 2 minutes at high pressure. Once finished cooking quick-release pressure according to the Instant Pot manufacturer’s instructions and test the potatoes for doneness which depends largely on how big the potatoes are cut. (You can always bring it back to pressure for another minute if necessary).

• Meanwhile prepare the cashew cream then add it to the soup together with the kale. Cook one or two minutes until the kale has wilted.

• Adjusting seasonings to taste with salt and black pepper and serve.

subheading: STOVE TOP METHOD:

Same saute instructions, then simmer with all the rest of the IP ingredients 5 to 10 minutes (not overcooking the potatoes), adding kale and cashew cream at the end just to wilt the kale and thicken

as an alternative to the seitan you can use oyster or chanterelles, hen of the woods, shiitakes or simple button mushrooms with a pinch of ground fennel and smoked paprika

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