Vegan "Cheesy" Oven-Roasted Broccoli Soup

It's a chilly November day. As the sun was coming up this morning and I was in a terrible mood, I decided to get out and enjoy the morning air, destined to find a new book to get lost in. Well, the coffee shops on the way to the library weren't open, so really it shouldn't have been a surprise that the library wasn't either. As I made my way back up the street disappointed, I passed not just one, but two 24-hour grocery stores. It is a bit ridiculous, especially since they are one block apart, but for some reason I wandered into both. If I couldn't get lost in a book, I could get lost in something just as comforting.

The cheesy flavour comes from the nutritional yeast, but it could be omitted if you have any allergies and still be very tasty. This is one of my favourite soups in the world. And it's my favourite colour. The greens and golds may fade out of this city with the seasons but never from my kitchen.

Vegan "Cheesy" Oven-Roasted Broccoli Soup   

Ingredients 

1 broccoli crown, chopped into florets
1/2 tbsp olive oil, plus a small amount for drizzling
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed and minced
3 cups GF vegetable stock (CF and TF if necessary)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Pinch of salt and pepper, to taste

Directions 

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread broccoli over a baking tray and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 15-20 minutes until tender.

While broccoli is roasting, sauté the onion and garlic with the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat for 3 minutes, until soft. Add veggie stock and bring to a gentle boil.

When the broccoli is done, combine all ingredients in a food processor including the nutritional yeast and blend until smooth. Return to the pot, turn the heat down and let simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavours settle. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 3-4 people.

DIY Vintage Wine Crate Bookshelf

I have been hunting online for DIY-shelf ideas. My favourite ones used recycled wood, and the ones that specifically caught my attention were made from old vintage crates. After doing some research, I found that people were selling them for about $50.00 a piece. This would make for a very expensive DIY project, and not one I was willing to finance. After getting a few head shakes from friends after wistfully holding up disposed of and partially rotted wood from alleyways in the city, I gave up on my idea.

One day, we happened to be down in the vintage section of the liquor store, when I spotted some wine crates stacked against the wall. I discovered that with a donation to the United Way Campaign- usually about $4.00 a crate- they could be my very own. Our arms already full of groceries and beverages, we stacked as many as we could and made the treacherous trek home with numerous stops and adjustments along the way. A few days later, I went back for two more, picked up two different colours of stain and got to work.

The most difficult part of this entire operation was removing the paper stickers that were on them for shipping. I literally spent about four hours in the first afternoon with oil, knives and sandpaper trying to scrape them clean. The next day, I came home to my partner who was a bit scared to share his discovery that if you simply soak it with a bit of water, it comes right off. Glue and all. At least the worst looking sides that were too far butchered to be saved could be hidden if I stacked them right, and I let the labels show as much as possible on the sides. The wood is really light, and so after picking up some carpenter glue, this was my finished product.