Roasted Red Pepper, Red Potato, Cauliflower Soup

{Don't get me wrong, I totally believe that food is fuel for our bodies and minds. But, I certainly don't believe that it ends there. Think about the cup of coffee, with a cookie or  a slice of lemon pound cake on the side, shared over encouraging conversation with a friend, the first bite you had during the dinner that you finally realized you'd fallen in love, the flavor of that treat that you couldn't get enough of while being pregnant. It was present at the late night sleep overs, the early morning chats about the upcoming day, the afternoon get-a-ways. Food; it's shared. It ties itself to our memories. It's coveted. It's a gift. Certainly, it's more than just fuel. Yes, eating well/right/healthily is wise, but that doesn't mean that we should minimize the gift of taste buds!} 

Welp, this first dish that I am sharing with you is one that I came up with while rummaging through my veggie drawer, in the fridge, trying to get dinner on the table before my husband got home from work. It ended up being a hit, but also an easy quick dish (which is always a plus, right?). It's delicious, if I do say so myself. It's something that you really can 'feel good' eating. It naturally tastes as though it has cheese in it - but it doesn't (not unless you wanna add some, of course). Both my mom and husband thought it was a cheesy soup of some kind and were surprised when I said, "Nope. No cheese THIS time!" 

So, here's the recipe, I hope you enjoy! :

Roasted Red Pepper, Red Potato, Cauliflower Soup 

1 head of cauliflower, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 small-medium size red potatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 cups liquid (water/ chicken stock/ veggie stock... I use vegetable stock)
1/2 stick of butter or 4 tablespoon of olive/ coconut oil (this recipe is pretty flexible, as you can tell)
1 tsp of nutmeg
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper/ acho chili powder (add more if you like more than just an undertone of heat, like me!)
season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper
bacon (for garnishing, the third time I made this recipe I decided to garnish with bacon, and needless to say my husband appreciated it.) 
Also, you can stir in some of half and half into the pot before serving , but I think it's rich without it. 

On medium heat, add the butter (or oil) to heavy bottom pot. As it melts add the chopped cauliflower. Stir to make sure each piece of cauliflower is covered a bit in butter. Add the red bell pepper, stir again. Then, add the red potatoes and garlic. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Once the cauliflower starts to get toasty add your 4 cups of liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low/medium until the potatoes are cooked through (about 10-12) minutes. 

Blend the veggies until smooth (I totally recommend a handheld blender. It was one of my best $30 purchases!).

Return to heat, taste to see if you need to season more for your liking, let simmer for another 5-10 minutes. This is the time that I just quickly fried up the bacon to garnish. 

That's it - you're done! Serve warm or even at room temperature. I hope you enjoy... and let me know what you think of this recipe! :)