Last night, instead of heating up my Turkey Day leftovers…I decided to whip up a tasty cauliflower soup with crunchy gluten-free croutons.  The vegetable stand on my corner had the most beautiful heads of cauliflower this morning on my way to work and I simply couldn’t resist…

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp.olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar
• Dash of cinnamon
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• ½ cup white wine
• 1½ quarts vegetable stock
• 4 thyme leaves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup Greek plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Toppings

• 2 cups gluten free bread, cut into cubes
• 1 cup reserved cauliflower, cut into florets
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• 4 Tbsp. ghee

Directions

• In a large saucepan or soup pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cauliflower; set aside 1 cup for the topping.
• Season with sea salt, pepper, cinnamon and pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the white wine and enough vegetable stock to cover the cauliflower; add the thyme and bay leaves. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower. Discard the bay leaves and remove 2 cups of the cooking liquid to set aside.
• In a blender, puree the cauliflower mixture a little bit at a time. Add the reserved cooking liquid as needed if the mixture is too thick.
• After pureeing, return mixture to a clean pot and cook over low heat. Stir in the ghee and Greek yogurt, then adjust seasonings.
• For the topping, melt the ghee over medium heat in a skillet. As it starts to brown, add the bread cubes and gently toss. Season with sea salt and pepper.
• Add the cauliflower and cook until bread is crispy and cauliflower is soft, then add the golden raisins.
• Serve warm with the crouton mixture topping.