Split Pea & Cauliflower Bisque

I am so excited about this new cookbook I ordered off Amazon last week. It is called Back to the Cutting Board by Christina Pirello. I cooked four recipes from the book last week and each one was better than the last! I'm cooking exclusively from it again this coming week and I especially cannot wait to try more of her delicious soups.

If you read my blog you will already know how much my family and I love soup. I cook it often, even during the summer. But now that fall is on the horizon and the temperatures are starting to cool, my desire to make more soups is at an all time high.

This split pea and cauliflower bisque was absolutely wonderful.  There are very few ingredients, which made it easy to throw together. It was rich and flavorful, yet there is no cream or butter - just healthy yumminess!! I served it with grilled cheese sandwiches made on thicky, whole grain brain.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family did!
Here it is word for word from the cookbook Back to the Cutting Board:

1 to 2 Tbl avocado oil <I used olive oil>
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
sea salt
1 tsp curry powder
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup yellow or green split peas, rinsed well
4 cups filtered water <I used a quart of vegetable broth, plus another cup of water to thin the soup>
2 tsp white miso paste
2 to 3 sprigs fresh parley, minced, for serving

Stir together the oil, onion, and garlic in a soup pot over medium heat. When the onion begins to sizzle, add a small pinch of salt and the curry powder and saute until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower and saute until shiny with oil. Add the split peas and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the peas are quite soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Remove a small amount of broth from the pot and use it to dissolve the miso. Return the miso mixture to the pot; using a handheld blender or food processor <I used my Vitamix blender>, puree the soup until smooth <if the soup is hot make sure you have the vent on the blender lid open and covered with a dry, clean cloth so the steam can safely escape>. Return to the stove to warm through and serve garnished with fresh parsley.