It’s fall, y’all. I need all the soups, especially if they’re easy to throw together but the final product is packed with flavor. Being a vegetarian means that my soup options can be limited – I’m alway searching for ways to swap out the meat for the meatless. I’ve discovered that Jackfruit is a pretty good substitute in White Chicken Chili and that I can use Beyond Burgers to substitute for ground beef. One thing that I have had to learn to love as a vegetarian is Mushrooms… they have ALWAYS been my list favorite ingredient to find. But, after 2 years of being meat-free, I am starting to like the flavor and texture that they add to my recipes. I don’t love them yet, but we’re getting there.

As part of my next recipe introduction for Blends Bash 2020 with The Book Club Cook Book – I put together a Wild Rice Soup that has a lot of flavor!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yields : 8 – 10 servings

Soup Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled & diced
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 6 cups of vegetable stock ( I use these bouillon cubes)
• 3/4 cup of uncooked wild rice
• 1 cup of sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 ribs of celery, diced
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled & diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of Where the Crawdads Zing
• 1 cup of chopped kale

Roux Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup of All-Purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened Almond Milk
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes, until it is soft and translucent.
2. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
3. Add in the 6 cups of water and bouillon cubes (or 6 cubes of vegetable broth).
4. Add in the 3/4 cup of wild rice, 1 cup of mushrooms, diced carrots, diced celery ribs, diced sweet potato. Stir.
5. Add in the 2 bay leaves and 1 1/2 tbsp. of Where the Crawdads Zing!
6. Continue to cook until the soup begins to simmer. Then reduce your heat to medium-low, cover and continue to simmer for 45 minutes.
7. Keep an eye on your rice, as it gets tender it may soak up some of the liquid in the soup. If need be, add more 1/4 cup at a time.
8. When the soup is about 10 minutes from being done, you can make your roux.
9. Add the butter to a sauce pan, allow for it to melt. Then slowly stir in your 1/4 cup of flour and whisk until combined. Then a dd in your 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened Almond milk (1/2 cup at a time). Stir frequently until it thickens up (2 -3 minutes).
10. Add in the roux and 1 cup of kale to your soup. Stir until combined. Allow to cook for 2 minutes.
11. Season with salt, pepper and extra Where the Crawdads Zing seasoning.
12. Serve warm with toasty garlic bread!

Slow Cooker Adapation

1. Add everything to the crockpot except for the roux and kale. Stir.
2. Cook on high for 2 – 3 hours. Be mindful that the rice may cook quickly and you will need to add more vegetable broth to keep it soupy.
3. Make roux.
4. Add roux and kale to crock pot. Stir.
5. Serve and enjoy!

If you try this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think! And don’t forget to check out the other Blends offered through Blends Bash!