Cashew Cream: Boil cashews for 20 minutes or soak overnight. 

Add cashews to a blender along with the water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth. Set aside. 

Make the Soup: Add the oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Mince the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes or until soft. Grate the carrots and the broccoli stems. Add to the pot and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Toss in 3 of the 4 cups of broccoli, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. 

Make the Dumplings: When measuring flour be sure to spoon the flour in to a measuring cup instead of packing it in the cup. This will result in a fluffier dumpling. Whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Mix together the non-dairy milk and the apple cider vinegar. It should curdle. Add the wet mixture and the oil to the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Cover and set aside for about 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and sticky. 

Finish it up: Blend ¾ of the soup by carefully transferring it to a blender (in batches) or use an immersion blender. Return to pot and add in the last cup of broccoli and the cashew cream. Bring back to a simmer.

Add spoonfuls of the dumpling dough to the soup. Cover and cook for 18 minutes. Take off lid and serve! Top with shredded vegan cheese if desired.