salt to taste (will vary depending on the stock/broth you choose)
Instructions
Wash and chop your veggies. This can be done ahead of time, early in the week, and sealed in a baggie for a later lunch or dinner [30 min or less! whoo!]. Dice the onions super small, mince the garlic, an shred or grate the carrots if you didn't buy pre-shredded [I use my cheese grater]. For the broccoli, chop 2/3 of it into tiny florets [just cut off as much stem as you can and it'll fall apart in the pot] and then take the remaining 1/3 and give it a rough chop so you have a few large pieces to add to the soup. For the cauli, I chop it super close to the crown and crumble the florets into a bowl with the rest of your vegetables.
Add your veggie stock to a medium-sized pot and bring to a light boil. Next add the broccoli, cauliflower, onion, garlic, carrots, and bay leaf and reduce to medium heat. Simmer on medium, covered, for about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Feel free to test a small spoonful of veg to check for tenderness. Remove from heat and set aside.
Once the broth is done, start your roux. In a large pot, melt 5 tablespoons of butter on medium heat, whisking constantly. Once melted, slowly add in the 5 tablespoons of flour as you continue to whisk. Remove from heat and slowly pour in the broth from your veggie mixture [its okay if some of the veggies jump in along side it!] and stir to incorporate. Next pour in the veggies and slowly stir in the coconut milk. Return to the burner on very low heat, uncovered. Spoon out the bay leaf and season with the above herbs and spices, adding a little extra of whichever you like to taste. Depending on the saltiness of your broth, you might skip the salt entirely or prefer to add a bit more -- taste and tweak as needed after adding your cheese. Oh yes -- the cheese! Once the soup has warmed back up, stir in the grated cheeses and remove from heat immediately.
Garnish with chopped green onion if you're a fan! What's more fun than topping veggies with even more veggies? Oh yes. Cheese. Feel free to sneak a bit of extra cheese in, on, or around your soup. It's only natural to top cheesy veggie-filled soup with a little extra right? I'm going to go out on a a limb and pretend you said yes. "HECK YES!" Followed by some sort of song and dance.
Notes
Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!