garlic asparagus soup

Spring Green Soup

Welcome in Spring with this Spring Green Soup! It has a bright and refreshing flavor and is packed with nutrient dense veggies to support cellular function throughout the body. And it’s green, which comes from the chlorophyll in the plants. The phytonutrient that makes green foods supports liver detoxification, circulatory system, immune system and aids in tissue healing. Green is also beneficial for lowering blood pressure and free radical damage. Go ahead, slurp some green soup and boost your natural cleansing mechanisms.

Let me know if you make with your own spice blends, I’m always excited to try new combinations.

Alkalizing Spring Green Soup

A light refreshing soup to welcome in the new spring growth.
Prep Time1 hour
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: asparagus, cauliflower, dairy free, gluten free,, spring greens, zucchini
Servings: 8
Author: Chef Kim

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 2 cups zucchini chopped (a little extra as noodles for garnish)
  • 2 cups cauliflower chopped
  • 7 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 pounds asparagus trimmed and chopped
  • ¼ c fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds or soaked almonds
  • 1 lemon, squeezed

Instructions

  • Use a little water to sauté the garlic, onion and celery.
  • Chope the vegetables into 1-2 inch pieces for even cooking. If you have extra zuchhini, spiralize or shred it and save it to add as garnish and texture.
  • When onion is soft add the chopped zucchini and cauliflower along with the broth, bring just to a boil and then turn down heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  • The cauliflower should be just about tender, then add the asparagus and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove soup from the heat, let cool for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the nuts or seeds to a blender with a cup or two of hot soup broth and blend until completely smooth.
  • Transfer soup to a blender, in batches, and blend until smooth. About 30-60 seconds. Returning to the pan.
  • Warm it through to serve, lighten it up with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and garnish with zucchini noodles or shreds. Enjoy!

Notes

I like to play with different spices and like to add curry or dill to this recipe. I also like it with a little orange juice and zest at the very end. So go ahead and try it different ways. The recipe is a basic template that you can tailor to your liking with your favorite flavor profiles.

 

green minestrone

Green Minestrone

This green minestrone soup is a lighter version of the traditional minestrone soup but packs a nutritional punch with the addition of kale, zucchini, garbanzo beans and peas. The pasta does not have to be penne, whatever you have on hand or prefer will work in this recipe. Spaghetti can be broken, macaroni or fusilli would work or even substituting a whole grain brown rice or quinoa could turn out delicious.

I use gluten free pasta, Tinkyada or Jovial brands because they have good texture and flavor. But if you have a favorite, go with it. This makes a nice light meal and can easily be portioned in jars for grab-n-go lunches or dinners.

 

Let me know if you give it a try.

Green Minestrone

This is a light and refreshing take on traditional minestrone.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: gluten free,, plant-based, sugar-free, vegan
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • dutch oven
  • knife

Ingredients

  • 3 garlic minced
  • 1 zucchini chopped
  • 1 bunch kale stemmed, chopped
  • 1 can garbanzo beans drained
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
  • 1 1/2 cups gluten free penne pasta

Instructions

  • Prepare the vegetables.
  • Add a splash of water to a Dutch oven and bring up to medium heat. Add the zucchini, garlic, oregano and basil to the pot, Stir and saute for 3 minutes.
  • Then add the broth, beans, peas and pasta, cover the pot and bring to a boil.
  • Cook for 5 minutes, stir and add the kale. Cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until pasta is tender.
  • Test the pasta for doneness. Remove soup from heat when the pasta is to your liking.

Rustic Potato & Bean Soup

I love soups year-round, but this rustic potato and bean soup is so satisfying in the winter when you just want to hunker down with a warm bowl of soup. This soup is the perfect one-pot meal and doesn’t take a lot of prep time.

 

 

Soup made ahead and portioned make great grab-n-go lunches or dinners on busy evenings. I like to store soup in quart canning jars, they stay fresher longer. Soups can also be frozen, so if you have leftovers, stock your freezer and you’ll have meals ready to go.

Potato and White Bean Soup

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: potato, spinach, white beans
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white or yellow onion
  • 11/2 pounds yellow potatoes
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 cans white beans navy, canellini or great northern
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 4 cups baby spinach

Instructions

  • Chop onion and add to soup pot with a splash of broth and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
  • When the onion is tender add the garlic, potatoes, herbs and broth. Bring to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender, then add nutritional yeast and beans. Cook for 10 minutes.
  • Ladle two cups of the potatoes and beans into a blender and enough of the broth to cover the potatoes and blend for 30 seconds. Return to the soup pot and add the spinach, stir until spinach is wilted. Serve.
  • *If Jerusalem artichokes are available, add some along with the potatoes. So yummy!

 

 

Creamy Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup

This mushroom and wild rice soup is super creamy without the dairy found in traditional creamy soups. Oats and cashews are blended into a cream and added at the end of the cooking time.

This soup does not take much prep time, just enough to slice the mushrooms or you can purchase pre-sliced mushrooms and just dump them in.

I love a warm bowl of this soup when the temperature starts to drop, but it’s delicious enough for the holiday table.

Let me know if you give it a try.

Creamy Mushroom& Wild Rice Soup

This mushroom and wild rice soup is perfectly creamy without any dairy.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: mushrooms, wild rice
Servings: 6
Author: Chef Kim

Ingredients

  • 1 lb sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup Wild Rice
  • 3 cup water
  • 4 cup veg broth
  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 1/4 cup gf rolled oats
  • 2 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp sage
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds optional for topping

Instructions

  • In a 4 qt saucepan, over medium heat, sauté the onion in a tsp of olive oil until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute so the garlic does not burn.
  • Then add the mushrooms. Stir to combine and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. When the mushrooms have released their moisture and the pan is almost dry, transfer mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.
  • Into the same pan, add the wild rice and water and a tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low and simmer, cover pan. Cook for 30 minutes.
  • While the rice is cooking, in a blender, combine cashews, oats and 2 cups of broth. Blend until smooth and creamy, about a minute.
  • When the rice is tender, add the remaining 2cups of broth, the mushroom mixture, herbs and the cashew blend to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for another ten minutes. The soup is ready when thickened.
  • Garnish with more fresh herbs and a sprinkling of sliced almonds, if desired.

Simple Weekday Meals

These are a few of the meals I made this week that I had not planned out. It was a couple days where I was busy or outside planting  and when dinner rolled around I had to decide what I could make with what was on hand. These were pulled together in under thirty minutes each. I also made them on separate days. (I’m actually more comfortable making up meals with what I have than planning out a shopping list for specific recipes.) So I had a variety of fruits and vegetables and greens, a bag of kelp noodles, a can each of fire roasted tomatoes, artichokes and chickpeas, and some Sami’s Bakery Lavash which is like flatbread, but GF.

This is what I ate:

  • Veggie Roasted Flatbread – lavash topped with pesto, onion, mushroom, peppers, artichokes and spinach – Roasted for 10 minutes (not pictured)
  • Large mixed green salad with pineapple, orange, almonds and pumpkin seeds
  • Orange, pineapple, banana, mixed greens and protein smoothie with granola and seeds on top (not pictured)
  • Cold tomato soup with zucchini noodles & Hummus lettuce boats on the side
  • Asian Peanut Kelp Noodles (Raw Pad Thai)
  • You wont believe it – Ice “cream”

Tomato Soup with Zucchini Noodles

  • 1/2 large zucchini, spiralized or sliced lengthwise and then cut into noodles
  • I can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth or water
  • 1 tablespoon of tamari or Braggs Aminos
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of honey

Blend everything except zucchini in a blender and pour into serving bowls. Top with zucchini noodles.

Hummus

  • 1 can chickpeas, pour the chickpea water into a bowl and save for “ice cream”
  • 3 tablespoons of tahini
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon of coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons water

Combine everything in a blender or food processor and mix until a smooth paste is formed. Scoop onto a plate and drizzle with a little more olive oil and grind some black pepper over the top. Serve with lettuce leaves. (you could add assorted vegetables and chips to the plate for dipping.)

Asian Peanut Kelp Noodles

  • Use a variety of vegetables and slice thin. I used, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, jicama, spinach and broccoli stems.
  • 1 bag kelp noodles

For the peanut sauce, combine the following in a bowl and stir well or blend together and pour over veggies and noodles:

  • 1/2 cup organic peanut butter, I had crunchy (sub in almond or tahini)
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • 1 inch ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1/4 cup water, maybe more
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)

You Won’t Believe It – Ice “Cream”  – This is pretty amazing and delicious, but hard to wrap your head around. The base of this dessert is chickpea water! also known now as Aquafaba, (water of the bean)

I made a large batch with about 2 cups of the chickpea water, but if you just have the water from one can these amounts should work.

  • 1/2 -3/4 cup chickpea water
  • 3 tablspoons xylitol or raw sugar, ground fine
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar or guar gum
  • 5 drops of vanilla stevia, optional
  • Flavoring: freeze dried strawberries, crushed and chopped dark chocolate  (add in your own favorite flavors – water content of fruit may cause crystals to form and stiffen up the texture. May be better to add fruit after base is frozen)

The chickpea water needs to be placed in a med to large mixing bowl. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix/whip the water until it becomes creamy white like whipped egg whites. The volume will about double. Add in your fine ground sugar/xylitol and guar gum and continue to whip until you reach a shiny white merengue with soft peaks. At this point, I stirred in my crushed strawberry powder and chocolate, and then poured it into a tight sealing container and put it in the freezer for at least four hours. OMGoodness! It is the lightest, creamiest ice cream ever and plant-based without nuts!