Going Green

If you didn't know, I'm a Jersey girl.  A lot of my classmates think I'm from Pennsylvania because I went to Penn State... and probably because I don't act like those awful Jersey shore people you see on TV.  My mom is a Jersey girl too-- only she's still in Jersey and I'm way up here in Maine and we miss each other all the time!  So we talk all the time-- and her being the mom, she likes to tell me what to eat.  Recently she recommended this V8 Broccoli Garden soup.  I'd post a picture, but I'm too afraid to rip one off the web and use it.

It was good soup.  It was so good I gave my roommate the other half because she smelled it from her side of the house.  So good that I'd definitely buy it again, and it might even become one of those things I add to the shopping cart every week...

.... or I could one up V8 by adding more veggies and using no preservatives.  I think I like option two.

Green Goddess Soup

You'll need:

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 head of broccoli crowns cut into small florets
• 1 bunch of asparagus- trim off woody stems and cut into 2" pieces
• 1 leek, white parts only, thinly sliced
• Half a yellow onion, chopped
• Half a bag of organic spinach   
• 2.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 cups water
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium heat.  Add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes.  Add a large pinch of salt and stir.  Add leeks to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, then add asparagus.  Cook for about 5-6 minutes until the asparagus are tender and bright green. 

Add broccoli and cook for 3-4 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add half the water and half the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Cook for 10 minutes. 

Add the remainder of the stock and water and cook for 5 more minutes.  Add the spinach a fistful at a time and let wilt into the soup and then season with salt and pepper. 

Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the contents of the soup together.  If using a regular blender, transfer contents to the blender and puree with the little center piece of the top removed. 

Lots of people would be scared by a bright green soup.  Don't be, it's amazing.  Especially because I ended up stirring in 3/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese. 

Make this, immediately.  When's the last time you had a huge bowl of green vegetables that tasted this good?