Cream of Broccoli Deluxe

6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup rounded cashews
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 large head of broccoli, including stem, chopped (about 4 cups)
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Puree 1 cup of the vegetable stock with the cashews, until smooth. Set aside. In a large pot, cook the onion, celery, and carrot over medium heat in 1 cup of the vegetable stock for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, bell pepper, and potatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the remaining 4 cups of vegetable stock and the broccoli, thyme, salt and black pepper, bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer until the broccoli and potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the cashew mixture to the soup and stir until mixed. Remove the pot from the heat and puree about half the soup, in small batches, until smooth. Return pureed soup to the pot and reheat stirring well.

Recipe taken from Forks Over Knives, Anastasia St. John.