Cauliflower & Parsnip Soup with Caramelized Onions & Apples

Update 11/18/2018: This is one of the most popular recipes on Foraged Dish! I have updated it with a video and new images, and refined the instructions. The soup is the same!

1. Roasted Cauliflower

2. Caramelized Onions

3. Sautéd Apples

4. Ultra creamy

5. Plant-based

6. A swirl of truffle oil

7. Let's count caramelized onions twice because-- well, I shouldn't have to explain

These are just a few reasons to love this soup, which is super cozy, and perfect for a snow day.

The body of this soup is made up of roasted cauliflower, parsnips, and garlic. They get browned in the oven and then puréed with veggie broth and coconut milk for a smooth, silky soup. The texture is similar to potato soup, but parsnips lend a sweet, earthy note that feels super fall-y.

Parsnips, apples, caramelized onions … all great fall flavors! And all of them have a natural sweetness, which means this soup goes really well with something savory, like buttered sourdough or grilled cheese, or just a few slices of gruyere on the side. Saltiness that balances it all out.

Cauliflower & Parsnip Soup with Caramelized Onions & Apples

Published November 3, 2015 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4   |    Active Time: 1 hour

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Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

3 large parsnips, roughly chopped — 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and divided

4-5 cups vegetable broth, (this will vary depending on size of parsnips)

1/2 cup coconut milk (canned, full fat) OR half-and-half

1 large yellow onion, sliced thin

1 large crisp apple, cored and diced

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Truffle oil to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. On a sheet pan, combine cauliflower, parsnips, and garlic. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, and stir to coat veggies. Place veggie in oven and roast 20-25 minutes, until browning on edges.
3. While the veggies roast: heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch skillet over low heat. Add sliced onions to pan, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are a golden brown. Add a pinch of salt during this step to speed it up. Add diced apples to pan, and cook 5 minutes longer, until apples are softened.
4. Place cooked veggies in a blender with coconut milk, broth, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt to taste. (Test soup for temperature at this point: if your soup needs to be warmed up, do it now: either heat it in the microwave, or bring it to a simmer in a sauce pan).
5. Divide soup among serving bowls and top with caramelized onions and apples. Drizzle with truffle oil and season with pepper to taste.

Seared & Curried Eggplant (Paleo & Vegan)

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I wasn't going to post this recipe today. I was going to post a recipe for a gorgeous chia pudding with berries and bananas. Very red, white and blue, you know. Thing is, I just couldn't get myself excited about it. It was great, it was fine, but it felt so ho-hum sitting next to this recipe. Now this recipe--this has flavor. This gets me excited. 

Eggplant? Exciting? Yea, you heard me. If you had asked me a few years ago if eggplant was exciting, I would have laughed. The first thing that would have come to mind is that slimy Eggplant Parmesan with soggy breading that we all know and hate (some Eggplant Parmesan is delicious, but the bad versions are quite bad). 

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I don't know when I first tried Baingan Bharta (Eggplany Curry), but it's the dish that redefined eggplant for me. 

I've had this dish in all sort of ways: some people puree the eggplant after cooking it, some people leave it chunkier. Some people serve it with more of a sauce, and some keep it simple.  I have enjoyed them all but none as much as when they're like this: the eggplant is seared, almost crispy on the outside and not at all soggy. The spices are blended with only a bit of tomato, so as not to overwhelm the dish, and it's loaded with heat. 

Recently I was listening to a radio show on NPR about Picky Eaters, and how kid's learn their eating habits. You know when you arrive at your destination and you just want to going around the block a few more times to finish listening to your show? It was one of those. I've always attributed my willingness to eat just about anything to my dad: when I was a kid, he had my try new things every week (this also probably played a role in turning me into such a foodie!). This show, however, explained why kids have different tastes than their parents: their tastebuds are still young and sensitive. I guess my tastebuds finally "matured" enough to like eggplant. ;) 

The moral of the entire interview? Try everything ten times. At least ten times. Try cooking it different ways, and try serving it with different things. One of them, you're sure to like! 

Seared & Curried Eggplant

Published May 7, 2015 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4-6   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

2 teaspoons coconut oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-inch nob ginger, minced

2 eggplants, diced into bite-sized pieces

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeño, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon whole black mustard seed

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon cardamom

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Optional, for serving: spicy chili peppers, if you like your curry really hot

Directions:

1. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in a skillet. Once hot, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Sauté.
2. When the onions are translucent, add the tomatoes to the pan, giving everything a stir.
3. Add the diced eggplant to the skillet, stirring into the onion mixture. Sprinkle salt over top, and stir in (this helps draw out the natural juices). Increase the heat a small amount, to medium-high. Stir occasionally, giving the eggplant time to sear on each side.
4. When the eggplant is softened through an browning in some places, add the spices and minced cilantro.
5. The eggplant is done when it’s completely softened through and browned on some of the sides. Remove from heat and serve hot over rice or as a side dish with One-Pan Beef Korma or Slow Cooker Kashmiri Curry Leg of Lamb.

Paleo Blackout Chocolate Cake

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It's true... I finished grad school yesterday! I’m officially a Master (not the Jedi kind, just the regular kind).

The number one question I’ve be getting over the last few months is “What are you going to do now?” which makes me feel like I should yell, “I’M GOING TO DISNEY LAND!” but that’s not at all what I’m going to do so I have refrained so far.  

I don't really know what to shout, so instead I'll just go on expressing my emotions through food. This is how graduation feels right now:  

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Yup, as sweet as cake. Blackout Chocolate Cake, to be exact. 

It's pretty rare that I'll commit to making a cake. Even though the decadence is worth the effort, it's just not practical for a household of two. We end up eating cake twice a day, every day, until it's gone (Yup, breakfast of champions...). On this occasion, I went for it anyways, because it felt monumental. Since I'm not have a graduation party, I had to live it up somehow.  

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As naughty as this cake looks, it can actually hold it's own on the nutrition front. Seriously, I can eat a slice of this on an empty stomach and not get a sugar rush. The frosting is super lush, but only requires three ingredients: coconut milk, chocolate, and a spoonful of coconut flour to help it reach the right consistency. The cake itself get's it's soft crumb from whipped eggs, coconut flour, and cocoa powder. If you skipped the cashew sprinkle on top, it would be totally nut free!

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Paleo Blackout Chocolate Cake

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

This chocolate cake is rich and dark, but not too sweet—just the way I like it!

Yields: 1 two-layer 8-inch cake   |    Total Time: 90 Minutes

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Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup coconut flour
• 6 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 6 tablespoons honey, melted
• 3/4 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
• 9 eggs

For the frosting:
• 2 cups canned coconut milk (full-fat)
• 1-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• Optional: Chopped nuts for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease two 8-inch cake pans.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake. Set aside.
3. Melt the coconut oil (or butter) and honey. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, and then beat in the eggs, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla.
4. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture half at a time. Batter should be light and may have a few small clumps, but should be well incorporated.
5. Divide the batter into two 8-inch cake pans. Place in oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
6. Remove from oven, and set on a cool wrack for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. While the cakes cool, make the frosting: heat coconut milk in a small sauce pan until it simmers. Remove from heat, and add the chocolate chips. Allow the chips to melt, and then use a whisk to mix until smooth. Cover and place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
8. Remove frosting mixture from fridge. Use an electric beater to beat in 1 teaspoon of coconut flour at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.
9. Assemble the cake: run a knife around the rim of each cake pan and gently tap to loosen. Flip over, and remove cake from pan. Place first cake on serving plate. Spread 1/2 cup of the frosting mixture over top in an even layer. Place second cake over top. Use about 3/4 cup of the frosting to apply a thin layer over frosting over entire cake--it doesn't have to be perfect, this layer is simply for patching up holes and catching crumbs. Finally, use remaining frosting to add finishing layer around entire cake. Decorate with chopped nuts.

Cake recipe inspired by Double Chocolate Cupcakes from the Urban Poser. 

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