Ingredients

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 small potatoes, small diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 (1-11/2-pound) bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, tip pieces reserved
• 3 cups unsweetened plant-based milk
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½-1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 8-10 ounces mushrooms (any type), sliced
• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour (or oat flour for gluten-free)

Directions

1. In a large pot, sauté the celery and onion in a small amount of water over medium-high heat until tender.
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the potatoes, asparagus stems (do not include the tips), milk nutritional yeast, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 10-15 minutes.
3. While the soup is simmering in a small skillet, sauté the mushrooms over medium-high heat until tender. The mushrooms have a good amount of moisture, so you shouldn’t need to add water to prevent sticking.  Add the asparagus tips and sauté only until the tips become bight green. Set aside.
4. Combine the broth and flour in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add the hot soup to the blender and continue blending until smooth and creamy.  If you prefer your soup to have ore texture, you can combine more or less of the vegetables until the desired consistency is achieved. 
5. Pour the blended soup mixture back into the pot and heat over medium heat until bubbly and thickened.
6. Add the mushrooms and asparagus tips and serve immediately.

Tips & Hints

• If asparagus isn’t in season, you can easily substitute the asparagus for leeks or broccoli.