Creamy Zucchini Soup Recipe- Hot or Chilled, Paleo, Vegan, and Delicious

If I had to pick my two all time favorite ingredients to use in cooking, they'd probably be zucchini and cashews. I find the two of them are so versatile and can be used in so many different types of recipes and in so many different ways; how not to fall in love with them?
This soup, not surprisingly, based on those two ingredients is one of my favorite soups of all times, if not the favorite- it is absolutely divine, even though it is relatively simple.
Vegan and paleo, gluten free and just all around healthy, not to mention relatively low carb, this soup is creamy, delicious, goes down smoothly, and my son, a self professed zucchini hater, absolutely loves this soup and devours it.
Oh, and did I mention that it is awesome both hot and chilled?
Cashews aren't the cheapest ingredient, but I've gotten them relatively cheaply by buying them already broken, and end up paying around $2 for the cashews in this recipe, but I've also made it with around half the amount of cashews, and it was also great, so if you're looking to cut costs, feel free to play around and adjust the other ingredients as needed.

Lastly, while the ingredients in here are simple, it is not super easy if you want to make it perfect. This soup really is best when pressed through a food mill, or if you're like me and don't have a food mill, a large holed mesh strainer. You can eat it without pushing it through, but doing so makes it creamier and smoother and lifts it up to a whole new level, so I'd highly recommend not skipping that step.

Creamy Zucchini Soup Recipe- Hot or Chilled, Paleo, Vegan, and Delicious

Ingredients:
6 large zucchini or summer squash, about 10-12 cups roughly chopped
4 cups water
1 large onion
1 cup cashews plus water
1/3 cup lemon juice
4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried dill

Instructions:
1. Soak the cashews in enough water to keep them covered even after they absorb water. Let them soak for at least an hour, ideally a couple of hours or overnight.

2. Put your zucchini and onion in a pot with 4 cups of water, cover, and cook until the zucchini and onion are fully soft.

3. Strain your cashews and blend them up in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

4. Add a little bit of the water from your pot to the cashews, and blend up until as smooth as possible. Don't add too much water at once or the cashews won't get fully blended.

5. Add the zucchini and onion and the rest of the water in batches and blend up, then move to another container.

6. Add the rest of the ingredients and adjust to taste.

7. Optional but highly recommended: push through a food mill, or pour through a mesh strainer, using the back of a spoon to push it down through the mesh, to remove any little pieces that didn't get fully blended.

8. Serve hot or chill before serving, your choice.

Enjoy!

How much do cashews cost where you live? 
What would you say are your two favorite ingredients to use in cooking, and why? 
Does this look like a recipe you'd try?