Mom’s Shiitake Mushroom and Cashew Cream Soup

We have a shiitake mushroom and cashew cream soup that tastes SO much like a memory of chicken soup. A flavor many of us have grown up loving and finding comfort in. We did not start out to make a soup like chicken soup, this was just a HUGE added bonus.

One day, I went to hang out with my mom and sisters. And my mother is so sweet to prepare all food that my girls and hubby and I can eat. And I have to say that she is probably one of the best chefs I have ever known in my whole life. I love good food and am HUGELY discerning about food and my mom’s food is exquisite.

So as my mom has put her attention onto more vegan food, she has been able to create gems that are just amazing on the palette and even more amazing in our bellies. I took the recipe she had and modified it a little and bam!!!!!

Why are shiitake mushrooms good for you?

You may or may not know this, but shiitake mushrooms are a medicinal mushroom and one of the most powerful healing foods on the planet. According to the Medical Medium on his blog about Shiitake Mushrooms, he says that they are considered a “miracle mushroom” because they are so incredibly healing with their immune boosting and cancer-fighting properties. They are also great for many ‘auto-immune’ disorders, like AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, fibrocystic breast disease, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. Finally, they have the ability to absorb pollutants and toxins from our bodies, and are super high in iron and zinc, which makes them an absolute powerhouse!

Do you need yet ANOTHER reason to make this soup?

Here is the recipe you have been waiting for!

My Mom’s Amazing Shiitake Mushroom & Cashew Cream Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 sweet onions, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Japanese sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 8 cups Medical Medium healing broth (or you can substitute Pacific Foods veggie or mushroom broth)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp paprika

Vegan cream: (optional)

• ½ cup soaked cashews
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 clove garlic
• Enough water to blend

Directions:

You will need a pot to make soup and a pan to saute some of the mushrooms.

• In the pot add 1 ½ onions, chopped, 6 cloves of garlic and saute in 1 tbsp coconut oil. Let the onions become golden brown. Then add in 5 cups of mushrooms and stir them in with the onions and garlic, for about a 2-3 minutes. Then add 8 cups of broth and the japanese sweet potato. And let it simmer on medium heat. Add ½ tsp of sea salt.

• Next move to the pan.

• Add the other tablespoon of coconut oil, the remaining 2 cloves of minced garlic, ½ chopped onion and 1 cup of mushrooms. Sautee until golden brown and add a sea salt and paprika.

• Once the sauteeing is done, keep this aside.

• Then take the ingredients for the vegan cream and drop it in a blender. Once blended, your cream is ready.

• Back to the pot of soup.

• Check the pot of soup, it will probably need to simmer about 45-75 minutes. Once that is done, you can adjust salt to taste. And hand blend the soup, until all pureed and liquid.

• Finally, add the sauteed mushrooms on top, and drizzle vegan cream on top and voila, your not-chicken soup is ready. A beautiful, delicious, healing mushroom soup. If you want to keep it low fat, you can exclude the cream.