Dining In // Roasted Cauliflower & Aged White Cheddar Soup

If there's ever a time to start tackling that list of soup recipes you've wanted to make, now would be it. Most of us have entered into hibernation mode, swapping nights out for nights spent curled up with a favourite book and a glass of wine. Colder temperatures call for comfort food, and with a lot of us also vowing to eat healthier (Happy New Year!), it can be difficult to find recipes that satiate our desire for creativity in the kitchen while still adhering to the dietary promises we've made to ourselves. Enter: soup! With endless possibilities and relative simplicity, it's the perfect option.

One of my personal resolutions/goals, is to try at least one new recipe a week. With a busy, at times chaotic schedule, I find I have a list of go-to recipes that I tend to fall back on, and though I make slight changes here and there and I'm content with my eating habits for the most part, I also love the art of cooking itself, so I wanted to make that a priority. Plus, with a Pinterest board growing by the day, what better time to start working my way through the delicious looking recipes that tempt me at every glance?

First up, Roasted Cauliflower & Aged White Cheddar Soup, a recipe that appealed to me because of the simplicity of the ingredients and, let's be honest, the addition of aged white cheddar. I love cheese, and though that's one thing I am trying to reduce in my diet, a little bit of a good thing can go a long way, and I thought the mix of the roasted cauliflower and cheddar would create a delicious combination of flavours. And with the hint of thyme and thick, creamy consistency, it was the perfect soup for a chilly Saturday afternoon.

Roasted Cauliflower and Aged White Cheddar Soup

Ingredients 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets 2 tablespoons oil salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon oil 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth 1 1/2 cups aged white cheddar, shredded 1 cup milk or cream salt and pepper to taste

Directions 1 // Toss the cauliflower florets in the oil along with the salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. 2 // Roast the cauliflower in a preheated 400F oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. 3 // Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. 4 // Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute. 5 // Add the broth, deglaze the pan, add the cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. 6 // Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency with a stick blender. 7 // Mix in the cheese, let it melt without bringing it to boil again. 8 // Mix in the milk, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Serve and enjoy! The perfect complement to a grilled sandwich or salad and a glass of white wine. My little kitchen adventure also may have inspired me to start a new season of Masterchef, which may or may not have resulted in a Saturday night marathon and slight addiction. Hazards of the job, I suppose.

[photos: Jason Matos // original recipe via Closet Cooking]