CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP

I wasn’t sure whether to start this post by telling you that I used to HATE mushrooms (emphasis on the all caps) or warning you that this soup tastes much, MUCH better than it might look (again, emphasis on the all caps).

But both statements are exceedingly true, so I went with both.

Because it’s funny how things change as we get older. How old preferences meld into new, seemingly more sophisticated ones and how we learn – ever so slowly – not to judge things, situations and most importantly perhaps, people by just their outward appearance. Sometimes, that giant step into adulthood is the small discovery that a certain unattractive, nutrient-rich fungi can taste delicious when doused in a warm, scented pool of butter and garlic.

Now, if only all adulthood problems could be solved with garlic and butter! Taxes, car payments, relationship issues, figuring out what to do when you discover you’ve gotten absolutely no FAFSA money to go back to school. God, I’d be so plumply happy.

Luckily, adulthood problems are easily remedied by one thing: putting red wine in mushroom soup. Think of it as extra antioxidants to slow down that pesky aging process and a super easy way to give your soup that certain je ne se quois. That “I-can’t-quite-put-my-finger-on-it-but-damn-this-soup-is-good.” Plus, you can drink the rest of the bottle singing, “Being grown-up is the best eva eva!” to the tune of Rihanna’s “Under My Umbrella…ella…ella…”

Or, if you are like me, you still sing but just stick to a glass or two, because anything more leaves you with a headache the next day.

(Because some things never change.)

The real secret to this Creamy Mushroom Soup however, is a hefty pour of almond milk. The unsweetened kind and preferably from Almond Breeze (my brand of choice). It gives it the perfect amount of creaminess plus a small dose of healthy fats.

It’s a soup that makes me happy I’m a grown-up who now likes mushrooms and has eaten three batches of this soup in the past week despite the fact it looks like scary bowl of purplish slop. A grown-up who is taking responsibility for her own life, going back to school, getting published as a freelance writer, continually working at a happy, healthy relationship (both with myself and the manfriend) and being okay with the fact that she’ll probably never find the perfect balance.

And I’m just REALLY proud of that (emphasis on the all caps).

Creamy Mushroom Soup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups mushrooms*
1 to 2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups Almond Breeze Original Unsweetened Almond Milk
salt + pepper
Toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds + brown rice, for serving (optional)

*I used 1 cup portabella, 1 cup cremini and 1 cup shiitake mushrooms

In a soup pot over medium-low heat, saute onions in olive oil until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic. Continue cooking for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until mushrooms are soft and have released their juices. Add red wine and almond milk, and let cook for 5 minutes or until pot comes to a low boil.

Transfer mixture into a high-speed blender or food processor. Puree until soup is smooth.

Serve drizzles with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds, if desired. You can also serve this soup over a bed of brown rice for a hearty, fiber-filled lunch or dinner.

Makes 2 to 4 servings

[This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze, all opinions are my own.]

Tagged as: mushrooms