Raw Cream of Celery Soup from The Rawtarian... Uhhh, Mind: BLOWN!

While down in Florida last week, we visited with my longtime friend and first ever roommate from the Art Institute days Dee Dee to get tattooed and eat homemade, awesome raw food. She has been following a mostly raw diet for several years now, sending recipes to me here and there. Most of which I shelved for a time when I become more inspired to "cook" raw dishes. I don't know why I think raw = hard, I mean, you don't have to cook anything! It should be easier, right?
Well, she told me about this seriously easy raw celery soup from therawtarian.com, I knew I had to try as soon as I got home. When I say seriously easy, I mean done and ready to eat in like, five minutes! It really doesn't get any easier than that, am I right? The only thing you really need is a high-speed blender such as a Vitamix, Ninja or something similar. Because you want to use the blender to heat the soup, super fast-spinning blades are a must.

This is enough to make two small appetizer-type bowls or one large. I doubled the recipe for Jeff and I for lunch.

1 cup celery, roughly chopped

1/4 cup cashews, soaked for two+ hours or overnight*

1/2 garlic clove

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon sea salt (the original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. but it was slightly too salty for me)

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. celery, sliced thin while keeping the 'U' shape of the celery and if there's leaves on the celery, save those too. (reserve - do not blend)

1/4 avocado, sliced thinly for garnish (optional)

Add all of the ingredients (except the last 1/2 cup of celery) to your high-speed blender.

Start blending on low and work your way all the way up to high. Blend, blend and blend some more so that the stringiness is blended and so that the soup gets hot.

Place your 1/2 cup sliced celery into a bowl. Pour blended celery soup mixture on top of the sliced celery. Mix gently with a spoon.

Garnish with remaining Tbsp. sliced celery, leaves and avocado if you're using it. 

Serve immediately and enjoy your mind being blown by how delicious, nutritious and EASY it is!

*Dee Dee also told me that soaking cashews reduces their fat and calorie content, which I did not know. Don't ask me how I didn't, but I didn't. Anyway, there's always cashews soaking now! Hooray for fewer calories and fat! 

Side note: therawtarian.com is a really cool site run by raw chef Laura-Jane. TONS of yummy sounding, comprehensive raw recipes along with notes and comments from users. I am looking forward to trying more from her. There's also an app you can download at iTunes called Raw Recipes so you have it at the ready while shopping and preparing. Enjoy!