Add 3 tablespoons of butter substitute, onion, celery, and carrots to a dutch oven. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add potatoes (peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes) to the vegetables, plus 1 tablespoon butter substitute. Season lightly with salt and pepper, stirring until butter is melted. Bring to boiling and cook for approximately 5 – 8 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Be careful to not overcook your potatoes or you'll end up decreasing the amount of chicken stock you have.
Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cook for approximately 5 – 8 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Be careful to not overcook your potatoes!
Use an immersion blender to carefully puree some of the chunky vegetables. To keep the soup from becoming a smooth paste, do NOT blend the entire pot - just a little bit! (Note: you can remove two cups of soup and blend in a separate container, then stir it back in to thicken).
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried parsley. Stir.
Serve immediately - topped with chopped chives or green onions.
Optional: Sprinkle with dairy free cheese shreds and crumbled bacon.
