Creamy Italian Herb and Bacon Soup

A few years ago, I was making this insanely flavorful, yet limited ingredient Italian soup. It was creamy and became an instant hit with my family. Flash forward to the present, everyone still remembers how wonderful that soup tasted, but it seemed that it was a thing of the past since our food choices have changed. That soup got its creaminess from white kidney beans, a slight bite from orecchiette pasta, and richness from the addition of heavy cream. All of these ingredients seemed impossible to replace and achieve the same flavor, until today. I began to research this recipe again and realized that the flavor came from the bacon and herbs more so than the other ingredients. The richness could be recreated with an addition of ghee (or grass-fed butter, if preferred). I was a little concerned with the creaminess though. I wanted a creamy soup, so I knew I needed something other than just a broth base. I also needed something to finish the soup off with that would provide a bit of texture as the pasta used to. I came to the conclusion that by using cauliflower, the soup would get the creaminess it needed. By topping the soup with some crisped bacon, the soup would have the texture it called for. With all of these things put together, this soup became a reality. A tasty reality. We all devoured our bowls, and it wasn't even meal time. My kids are already asking for more. Definitely give this a try. You won't be able to tell it's cauliflower either. It's a warm and comforting meal for any day of the week.

Creamy Italian Herb and Bacon Soup
(Serves 4-6)

1 TBS coconut oil
1 TBS ghee (or grass-fed butter)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces of bacon, chopped and divided equally (Use approved bacon if on W30)
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
5 cups chicken broth
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf
Black pepper
Drizzle of olive oil (optional, for garnish)
Chopped chives (optional, for garnish)
Extra black pepper to taste (optional, for garnish)

Heat your pot to medium high
Add in the coconut oil and ghee
After these melt, add in your onion, garlic, and half of your bacon
Saute these until the onions are tender (about 3-5 minutes)
Add in cauliflower and stir around to collect the flavor from the bacon and veggies
Add broth, herbs, and bay leaf
Bring to a boil
Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes
Meanwhile, crisp up the rest of the bacon and set aside on some paper towels
After the 45 minutes, take out the herbs and bay leaf and discard them
Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until all is creamy
**Or place in a blender in batches until pureed and add back to the pot
After pureed, add in some black pepper and stir around
Place soup in bowls and top with some of the crisp bacon
For extra flavor and aesthetics, scatter some chopped chives on top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a dash of extra black pepper