Some 12 years ago, I found a note on my pillow. It was written by my eldest, and it stated:” Ik lust geen bloengkool!!!” Which translates in to English (including the spelling error): ” I do not like cauliflour.” He meant to write cauliflower of course, but hey he was a first grader at the time. But first grader or not, he got his message across loud and clear, he did not intend to eat cauliflower ever again!!

Many things have changed since then, except for his intense dislike of this particular vegetable. Despite my frequent attempts to persuade him to try the new (vegan) ways I prepared cauliflower, fried, oven- roasted, in the form of rice, up till this very day my oldest son refuses to eat cauliflower in any form whatsoever! One could say he suffers from a severe cauliflower-trauma.

Recently this same son asked me to prepare tomatosoup, preferably a creamy one without big chunks in it. Obviously I was happy to oblige, but of course wanted to prepare a vegan tomatosoup, so no crême fraiche! Well what better way to make a creamy vegan tomatosoup than adding cauliflower.

So I added half a medium-sized cauliflower cooked it together with the fresh tomatoes and when everything turned soft blended everything with a blender.

The result was a lovely soft and creamy tomatosoup with a hint of fresh basil and garlic. The cauliflower was no where to be noticed!

Obviously I did not tell him, nor the rest of the family about my secret ingredient. All of them got to try it before him and they all were very enthusiastic about this soup.

After he returned from school I poured him a big bowl of soup and waited anxiously for his response. To tell you the truth I was pretty sure that he would somehow notice, he has remarkable sensitive tastebuds. And if not for his tastebuds he would surely notice my surpressed smile and secretive mood.

After a few spoons I asked him if he liked it and guess what….he was genuinely happy and told me that he loved it:’You did well Mum, great soup”! I could smile freely now. When I let him in on my secret, the added cauliflower, he merely shook his shoulders and said:” I still like it.”

You can imagine my relief and have to admit that I felt a little bit victorious as well.

Know someone who needs to change his mind about cauliflower as well, or just feel like having a nice bowl of soup?  Click here for recipe.

Enjoy!