white bean and potato soup with spinach

I love potato soup....any type of soup with potatoes.  Maybe it's my Idaho roots, but potatoes hold a special place in my heart.  Most potato soups have a milk base, and though my tastebuds like milk based things, my stomach disagrees.  Plus my baby is allergic so we're trying to be careful for the time being.  This soup is milk free but just as good, if not better than any other potato soup I've ever known and loved.  Seriously, so gosh darn delicious.


White Bean and Potato Soup with Spinach

3 medium potatoes
4 cups cooked white beans (or 2 cans)
900 ml veggie broth or chicken broth
2 cups chopped spinach
1/2 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup cashews
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of crushed red chilies
1/4 tsp garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes until very soft. Cut into pieces and add to soup pot.
Blend cashews with 1/2 cup water until smooth. If your blender is not a blendtec or vitamix you may wish to soak them for a few hours first. Add blended cashews to soup pot.
Chop onion and garlic, water saute until cooked, then add to pot.
Add all other ingredients to soup pot and cook on medium heat until it starts to bubble, the cashew cream will thicken up a little. Remove from heat. (This should only take about 10 minutes or so)
Add chopped spinach and stir it in.