it's like an albino carrot..

There is something about being able to make the favourite things for yourself that your parents used to magic up especially for you. Teaching yourself family recipes that used to stir amazement in your heart every time it was made for you is not spoiling the magic, but makes it even more special (like that time I made random-instinct no-bull bolognese on no-christmas day and it tasted EXACTLY how my mum makes)...
There are some family treats that I will never be able to recreate for the sake of my dietry choices and requirements (osso bucca just isn't going to happen). I take so much enjoyment from the fact that yesterday afternoon I got off the tram and craved this amazing winter favourite, had no credit to call my mother to ask how she prepared it, so I went by instinct. And, shit-damn...


Better-dreaming Parsnip Soup.
2 large parsnips, peeled and roughly diced.
2 thin celery stalks, finely chopped.
1 small white onion, diced.
a good sized knob of non-dairy butter
salt & pepper to taste
ground coriander, dried thyme & rosemary.

I sweat down these beauts with nuttelex in a large pot for about 5 to 10 minutes (when the onions/celery are transcluscent, you'll know it's time) before seasoning and then adding the stock

2½ cups prepared vegetable stock (1 teaspoon massel powder to 2½ cups boiling water, I like using stock but it is really easy to OD on it and have the flavour of the stock overwhelm the integrity of the vegetables, BE CAREFUL)
There should only be enough stock to make the vegetables float a little. This is a creamed soup and you don't want things to get too splashy when it comes to blending.
Cover the pot and leave it on a medium to low heat until the parsnips easily break themselves if you stab one with a fork. When this happens it's time to slowly transfer, bit by bit, the soup into a blender or food processor. If you have a hand-held liquidiser by all means use that but i think that's freaky. You can add a non-dairy milk or silken tofu or both if you like, to produce a creamier soup. I used both and also added nutritional yeast (get b12 in ya) for a nutty happening.

I'd say that this soup is pretty adaptable according to how your feeling or what your particular tastes are. I served it with more salt & pepper (because I am a fiend for flavour) and some fresh parsley from our faux-garden.