Roasted garlic and parsnip soup (vegan)

Garnished with raw cashews, this vegan soup can warm up any winter’s day.

Roasting brings out the sweetness of the parsnip, which is well complemented by garlic and rosemary in this hearty soup. Winter is the peak season for parsnips, although they can often be found at the farmer's market from fall through the spring.

Parsnips are a much under-appreciated root vegetable. They have a naturally buttery and hearty texture all their own, and are also an excellent addition to soups and stews. They are a good source of vitamin C and fiber, and also contain potassium and magnesium.

Ingredients
2 pounds parsnips (roughly 4 large roots)
5 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups vegetable stock

Rosemary and cashews to garnish

Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roughly chop the parsnips into pieces of about a half inch in thickness. Toss them with the rosemary, salt, olive oil and pepper.

Step 2
Spread the seasoned parsnips over a baking sheet. Add the cloves of garlic, with the skins on. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes. The parsnips should be quite tender when poked with a fork.

Step 3
Let the parsnips have cool for about 5 minutes. Remove the garlic from its skins, and place all the ingredients in a large pot. Add the broth.

Step 4
Using a submersion blender, blend all the ingredients together. Alternatively, use a regular blender to combine the ingredients in batches.

Step 5
Re-heat the soup to your desired temperature, stirring the soup frequently to prevent the soup at the bottom of the pot from burning.

Step 6
Serve and garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a sprinkle of raw cashews.