Healthy family recipe: Springtime soup
Welcome spring into your home with this seasonal soup recipe. Warmer weather gives way to local produce favorites like asparagus and green beans that make great additions to simple dishes. This soup pairs several vegetables together to create a flavorful, homemade soup that is filled with fiber.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped or minced
1 leek stalk (white and light green part only), thinly sliced
6 cups of low salt chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup of chopped asparagus (or 15-20 thin spears)
1 cup of cauliflower florets, cut into very small pieces
1 cup of diced tomatoes
1 cup of diced green beans
1 cup of diced carrots
1 cup of canned white beans, rinsed (cannellini, Great Northern, or navy)
1 teaspoon of dried basil
¼ teaspoon of dried thyme
½ cup of fresh or frozen peas
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
Set a large pot on the stove over medium low heat and add olive oil to the pot. Once warmed, add garlic and sliced leeks. Cook until leeks are soft (around 5 minutes).
To the pot, add the broth, asparagus, cauliflower florets, tomatoes, green beans, carrots, beans, basil and thyme. Bring soup to a boil. Once soup is boiling, turn down the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add in the peas and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and enjoy!
Serving size: 1 cup
Recipe makes about 10 servings
Soup will be chunky! Add more broth if you like a thinner soup.
Add chopped leafy greens (like spinach or swiss chard) for extra fiber. If adding greens, add them when you add the peas and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Grate 1 to 2 teaspoons of parmesan cheese into each bowl of soup for added flavor.
Recipe created by Liz Coover, RD, LDN.
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