Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup

0 Heat a large dutch oven or pot over medium low heat and add oil, vegan butter or a splash of water to coat. Add in the shallot and garlic and sauté until tender and fragrant. Add in the asparagus and sauté for about 3 minutes until they're bright green and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove a few of the tops and set aside to use as garnish if desired.
1 Pour in the water, beans, and cashews and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the lemon juice, nutritional yeast, spinach, and maple syrup and simmer just until the spinach is slightly wilted.
2 Transfer to a high speed blender and add the parsley. Pureè on high speed until silky smooth and creamy. Pour into bowls and top with a swirl of vegan yogurt, sauteéd asparagus, and finely chopped parsley. Other optional toppings would be crispy chickpeas, croutons, toasted pumpkin seeds, chopped pistachios, or avocado.
3 This soup can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.