Vegan Curried Cauliflower Soup

Last night (as I mentioned) was a little crazy for us. We're leaving for Jamaica tomorrow (a last minute trip with Ike and family) and so I should have been gearing up for our trip (read: packing, organizing, doing laundry), but instead I was getting the house and us ready to be photographed for an article the New York Times is doing about families in Williamsburg.

So while the laundry ran, we had Robert Caplin, a photographer for the Times, over taking some shots of us doing what we do every night: cooking dinner and hanging. Robert was a supercool guys who's shot some amazing people and things (check out his site here) including Justin Bieber on tour for the last six months (he's the official tour photographer). While he was here, we prodded him for some stories about his travels and recent marriage while I cooked some cauliflower soup and morrocan couscous in mapled acorn squashes. I had to clean out the fridge before we left and this seemed to use up the right amount of perishable ingredients.

Of course I wouldn't let him sit around without eating, so I set him a plate with ours and it turns out he totally liked it! I love spreading the vegan love (especially when they're not suspecting it;)).

Here's how I made the soup:

Ingredients:

1 large onion large chop

2 leeks white and light green parts only large chop

2 tablespoons canola oil

salt to taste

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon cinnamon (plus more for garnish)

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon fenugreek

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 carton of no chicken stock

1 head of cauliflower cut into florets

1. In a large soup pot saute the onion and leeks in the canola oil with a couple pinches of salt until translucent.
2. Add the spices and cook them in for about a minute.
3. Add the stock and the cauliflower and bring to a boil.
4. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minute (or more) until the cauliflower is very soft.
5. Blend the soup to a puree adding water or stock if you'd like it thinner.
6. Garnish it with a sprinkle or two of cinnamon.