Creamy Parmesan Cauliflower Rice Soup

1. In a large pot combine the broth, water, chopped cauliflower, and onion and bring to a boil.
2. After about 15 minutes or when the cauliflower is soft, stir in the garlic powder, garlic salt, pepper and parsley.
3. Using a hand blender (also called an immersion blender or stick blender) begin to puree the cauliflower. I prefer to blend it about halfway, leaving small chunks of cauliflower throughout the soup for texture but it’s up to you. You can use a regular blender here if you’d prefer. Scoop about half of the cauliflower out with a cup of broth and puree. Be careful and leave plenty of room in the blender for the mixture to expand. It will be very hot. Put the soup back into the pot if you used a regular blender.
4. Add the rice and simmer until the rice is soft and tender, according to package instructions.
5. At this point I used my hand blender again but only gave it a few pulses. I didn’t want the rice to become completely pureed, just enough to blend in with the cauliflower.
6. Stir in the half-and-half and Parmesan.
7. This is great served with grilled sandwiches or a nice thick slice of crusty bread. Enjoy!