Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

1/4 cup raw sunflower kernels
3 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, divided
3 tsp. mild curry powder, divided, more to taste
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
5 cups (about 1 pound) cauliflower florets

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a small bowl, toss sunflower kernels with 1 tsp. almond milk and 1 tsp. curry powder.  Spread out on a small parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake, tossing once or twice, until toasted and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes; set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup almond milk in a large pot over medium heat.   Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add cauliflower, remaining 2 tsp. curry powder, and almond milk, cover and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, about 40 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning with more curry powder if you like.  Working in batches, carefully puree in a blender until smooth.  Transfer to bowls, garnish with sunflower seeds, and serve.

(Another delicious and simple-to-make soup!  I doubted the bother of the curry-baked sunflower seeds, but ended up mixing them right into the soup after I pureed it, and they gave a nice surprising texture to the soup.  The curry flavor and the creaminess of the soup were perfect.  I brought this to work for lunches and enjoyed it every time.)