Creamy Petite Pea Soup

Easton and I took a trip to the dog park today, as we do most Sundays. Two hours playing and a bath afterwards make for a tired puppy. But, as they say, a tired puppy is a happy puppy (except for the bath part, hahaha).

Easton misses his girlfriend, Olivia.

About this soup. I had originally started soaking raw cashews to make some nut cheese, but I got lazy and that never happened. I figured I needed to use them up soon, and I recently saw a recipe for Fresh Pea Soup with Mint Cream in Love Soup by Anna Thomas. This isn't that soup, mainly because I didn't have half the ingredients. But it did give me an idea to make a creamy pea soup, so I started throwing things together, and this is what I came up with. (Unfortunately my regular camera wasn't working, so I didn't get good pictures.)

• 1 lb frozen peas (I used Trader Joe's Petite Peas)
• 8 oz leeks (I used frozen)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight in water
• 4 cups water or veggie broth
• 15 large basil leaves (probably about 1/2 cup chopped)
• Oil or Earth Balance
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 1/2 tsp paprika

Begin by sautéing the leeks in a tablespoon of Earth Balance or a good drizzle of oil. Cook for about five minutes until thawed and soft. Add the garlic and cook for another 3 or so minutes, until the garlic and leeks start to brown. Next add the frozen peas and water, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until the peas are thoroughly heated. Add the soaked cashews, basil, curry powder, and paprika and blend well with an immersion blender (you could use a regular blender but I find it way more messy to try and transfer the soup). Season with salt and serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and a glug of olive oil.