Cauliflower Soup topped with Sausage and Mushroom

I was thinking about cauliflower soup the other day (please don't judge your foodie friend over here) and I couldn't decide whether to top the soup with curried crunchy chickpeas, toasted walnuts, mushrooms, sausage, or something else.  I couldn't just serve myself pureed cauliflower and call it a day.  I eventually decided to top my soup with a sauteed mixed mushroom/sausage/thyme mixture.  I guess it just sounded like the best combo for my mood at the time.  

I mean sometimes you just need comfort food.

And this dish just happens to be healthy (and gluten free I might add).  Hmm, sounds like a comfort dish I could get used to.

Cauliflower Soup topped with Sausage and Mushrooms

6 Servings

Ingredients:

2 Heads Cauliflower - Cut off florets

1 Yellow Onion roughly chopped

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter divided

About 4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

8 oz Crimini Mushrooms sliced

4 oz Porcini Mushroom (or another wild mushroom) sliced

2 Chicken Sausage sliced (I used fully cooked Chicken Apple Sausages)

Salt

Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

2 Tbsp Fresh Thyme roughly chopped + 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

Directions:

Place cauliflower florets in a large pot and add water to almost cover cauliflower.  Bring to boil over high heat and continue to cook until tender when pierced with a fork.  About 10 minutes once the water is boiling.  Remove from heat and drain liquid.

Meanwhile saute onions with 1/2 Tbsp butter, salt, and pepper until translucent and golden.  

Combine half onion mixture and half cauliflower in a food processor with about 2 cups of chicken broth and puree until smooth.  Return pureed mixture to large pot.  Repeat with the remaining onion, cauliflower, and chicken both.  Turn stovetop on to low heat and season soup with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Add two sprigs of thyme and 1 Tbsp of butter.

While soup is reheating, saute mushrooms, 1/2 Tbsp butter, salt, and pepper over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Once the water from the sauteing the mushrooms has almost evaporated add the sausage.  Continue to cook until sausage and mushrooms are cooked and browning; about 5 minutes.

Remove sprigs of thyme from soup.  Divide soup among serving bowls and top with the sausage and mushroom mixture.