Creamy Mushroom Soup

This flavorful mushroom soup gets its creamy texture from a base of pureed white beans. Serve either with fresh bread and a big, colorful salad, or with a veggie-filled wrap.

Serves: 8

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 heaping cup chopped onions
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 large celery stalks, with leaves, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon each: dry mustard, dried basil, and dried thyme
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, optional
• 12 ounces baby bella, cremini, or white mushrooms,
  wiped clean and sliced, divided
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake or other fresh wild mushrooms
• 2 cups canned or cooked cannellini or great northern beans
• 1/4 cup Silk or coconut creamer, optional
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until golden. Add the next 4 ingredients plus 5 cups of water and bring to a rapid simmer.

Add the seasonings and wine; cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Add half of the sliced white mushrooms (set the rest aside) and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Remove the soup from the heat and let stand several minutes.

Wipe the mushrooms clean, remove and discard stems, and slice the caps. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Add the reserved white mushrooms and the shiitakes. Sauté, covered, for 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in batches, along with the white beans, in a food processor or blender. Return to the soup pot and stir in the sautéed mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.

Before serving, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Adjust consistency with more water if soup is too thick, and stir in the optional creamer for extra richness. Divide among soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with a little parsley.

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