I’m getting this post out late! Somehow it’s been a new kind of busy in my household this past week and I wanted to plan something using the very GREEN beautiful produce available as growers keep growing, and households start to notice new shoots and sprouts at the market or in their young garden plots...
This Saturday’s Facebook Live-streamed class on May 2nd at 10am PST, we will make a Spring Green Soup together with croutons. Taking a break from all the sweet offerings lately, this class aims to show how easy it can be to throw together a healthy and delicious soup for lunch. As you can see in the recipe below, no need to run out and grab ingredients you don’t have, lots of variation here.
We are appreciating the burst of green here in the PNW, our little pea shoots making their way up twine, and the anticipation of all that Spring offers us in the way of healthy eating habits. Join us!
Spring Green Soup
1-2 cups chopped green veggies of your choice:
(I will be using asparagus and fresh and frozen peas, but the following options will work great for this soup)
green cabbage
Spinach or kale
Zucchini
Celery
Broccoli
3 Tablespoons olive oil, butter, or other fat of your choice
1 onion
1 leek (optional, but we will be using leeks in class)
3 cloves garlic (optional)
1 sprig of thyme or rosemary or parsley or basil (dried herbs will also work great)
1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
2-4 cups stock, chicken or veggie
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup finely grated Parmesan (optional)
In a large soup pot, over medium heat, cook the onions and leeks in the olive oil until they are translucent. Add chopped green vegetables and the garlic and chopped fresh or dried herbs and add to the pot. Add the vinegar and stir.
Add the stock and bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer and let sit, covered or partially covered until the vegetables are tender. You can now purée the soup in a blender for a creamy version, or you can leave it as is and enjoy it more as a chunky soup.
Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and then serve topped with the parmesan!
Croutons
You will simply need a loaf of bread and some olive or vegetable oil and salt and we will walk through how to make these together. The idea is to slice the bread into cubes, toss in a bowl with oil so the pieces of bread are coated, sprinkle with salt and any dried herbs of your choice. Oregano and basil are great, so is dried dill or garlic powder.
Then spread the bread pieces over a baking sheet so they are flat, and bake at 375-400 degrees until they are nice and crispy!