Crock Pot Potato-Mushrooms Soup

This soup is the perfect way to be introduced as an easy weekend meal.  Most of the recipes for potato and mushroom soup use heavy cream or half and half added to the soup.  I use almond or cashew milk to make my recipe on the healthier side. Commercial almond milk is very good.  However, the Vitamix cookbook has an easy version of making almond milk.  Since I own this cookbook, I will share this almond milk recipe here too.  I am not a milk drinker, so I prefer to make milk at home for my cooking. This is a simple straight forward potato and mushrooms soup. The crock pot and a handheld blender can do everything. This easy-to prepare soup is healthy, tasty, and will warm up a cold winter night.

Ingredients:
8 oz. mixed mushrooms is good, sliced
1/2 lb. potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth or water
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 tsp fresh thyme
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup almond milk

Directions:
In a skillet, heat oil and add onions, carrots, celery, garlic,, and thyme. Stir to cook until soften (about 1 minute).

 

 Add mushrooms and potatoes.

 Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook for two minutes. Place in crock pot and add the broth.

Cover and cook on low from 4 to 6 hours or high about 3 to 4 hours. After a  few hours of cooking, Use a held blender to blend the soup to smooth.

Add almond milk and adjust the seasoning.

 Cover and cook for another 30 minutes. Serve with salad

 

To make the almond milk:
1 cup raw almonds
3 cups water

Directions:
Soak almonds for at least 8 hours and drain well. Place soak almonds with water in a Vitamix container and secure the lid. Select variable1. Turn the machine on and slowly increase the speed to variable 10, then to high, and blend for 45 seconds.