CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP WITH BACON

According to my kids, this is Creamy Bacon Soup. They still have no idea that a main ingredient is mushrooms, which they despise. I may spill the beans down the road—perhaps when they’re packing to leave for college. We love how creamy and filling it is, and you’d never know it was dairy free!

Prep time 20 min
Serves 6

1 pound (455 g) brown mushrooms, quartered
1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons (45 ml) red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut aminos
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 quart (946 ml) Homemade Beef Stock
2 cups (475 ml) unsweetened almond milk
1 12- or 16-ounce (340 or 455 gram) package of bacon

1 Place all ingredients except the bacon into a 4-quart (3.8 liter) slow cooker.
2 Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours (or 3 to 4 hours on high).
3 Meanwhile, cook the bacon according to your liking. Crumble it and set it aside.
4 When the soup is finished, blend it with an immersion blender or in batches using a blender.
5 Taste the soup and adjust seasonings if necessary. If you make your own beef stock and do not salt it, you might want to add a teaspoon or so of salt. Adding another tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar will also help brighten the flavors.
6 Serve the soup topped with crumbled bacon.