Vegan Vichyssoise (Potato Leek Soup)

Nothing sounds better to me on a cold, windy, winter night than hot creamy soup!  There is no dairy in my version of Vichyssoise, but you would never know it!

Ingredients:
32 oz. vegetable or chicken broth
4 large leeks, washed, chopped, and green tops removed
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
*1 cup raw cashews rinsed and boiled in 12 oz. water or 1 cup non-dairy milk
2 tsps grape seed oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped and reserve some sprigs for garnish
Salt/Pepper to taste
*Optional:  whole peppercorns


Instructions:
If you plan to use cashews instead of non-dairy milk, this recipe works best with a super blender.  Wash leeks carefully to remove all the sand. *If you are using cashews for cream, boil cashews in 12 oz of water for 5 minutes. To large frying pan, add broth, leeks, thyme, potatoes, cashews and water, peppercorns, and garlic.  Simmer until potatoes and leeks are soft.  Allow to cool then puree soup mixture in food processor or super blender.  There is too much of the mixture to puree all at once and you will have to repeat 2-3 times.  In large stock pot, add soup, oil, non-dairy milk (if you used that instead of cashews), salt, pepper, and vinegar.  You may also want to add water if your soup is too thick, but it should be the consistency of pea soup.

*Cashews are an amazing substitute for cream. I prefer them to non-dairy milk because I find they provide the richness needed for many recipes.

*Super blenders such as Blendtec or Vitamix take soup to a new level.  I highly recommend purchasing one!