Mean, Green, Cold-Fighting Machine

It has been raining since 8:30 this morning here in Bellingham...

That, on top of what I'm starting to believe is more cold than allergies inspired this green concoction that I plan on nomming on for the next few days. The flavors in this soup were inspired by my uncle. He's been instructed to go on a low-sodium diet, so I didn't add any salt to this soup - just BIG flavors like basil, oregano, rosemary, garlic, onion, and paprika. YUM! I don't miss the salt one bit.

Sodium is hidden in many processed foods - even ones that don't taste salty. Pay attention to the nutrition facts labels on your packaged foods, or better yet don't eat them!  "If it doesn't look like something pulled out of the ground or off a plant, you probably shouldn't be eating it" has become something of a personal mantra.

The overwhelming greenness of this soup was definitely by accident... you could use whatever veg you've got in the fridge.

 

What I used:

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 Tsp rosemary leaves, chopped
• 2 Tsp dried basil
• 2 Tsp oregano
• 1 Tsp paprika
• 2 Tsp black pepper
• 1/2 day-old avocado, smashed
• ~1.5c leftover blanched asparagus (my friend and I made sushi yesterday)
• 1 head broccoli, cut into bite-sized florettes
• 4c low-sodium vegetable broth + 4c water (or more veggie broth if you're not on a college budget)
• 1 can kidney beans (~2c), rinsed
• 1c green lentils, rinsed
• 2c raw spinach (kale would have been good, too!)

Building the Machine:

1.  Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add garlic, onion, and basil, oregano, paprika, pepper, and rosemary, cook until onions are translucent.
3.  Smoosh in the avocado and add the broccoli and asparagus.
4. Add vegetable broth and water and return to a boil.
5. Add kidney beans, lentils and spinach. 
6. Cook on med-low heat until lentils are cooked through (~30min) or longer. I was Skyping with a friend in Minnesota so my soup simmered for over an hour.

What's in all that green stuff, anyway?

Asparagus is a great source of vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as calcium, zinc, magnesium, and fiber. Spinach is another source of vitamin A and K, the B vitamins, fiber, and iron. Avocado provides potassium, vitamins C and K, and folate. Broccoli is a rockstar: a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. Lentils are a great source of fiber and protein, as well as iron, phosphorous, and copper. 

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4338/2

Photo from http://thestonesoup.com/blog/2007/09/on-asparagus-and-spring/

Veggie Soup

I really like soups. I can spend 30 minutes cooking one night and have leftovers for 3-4 days, or freeze it for days I don't feel like cooking. Also, soups are extremely college-budget friendly - most of the ingredients are dirt-cheap at the grocery store! Soup is also a great fate for all those random veggies in the back of the produce bin in your refrigerator. You can pack a whole day's worth of veggie servings into one meal!

In the stir-fry post, I mentioned that fresh veggies are best. Carrots, tomatoes, and a handful of other veggies are exceptions to this rule. Cooking helps to break down the cell walls of the vegetable so more nutrients can be absorbed. One of these nutrients is lycopene. Lycopene is a red pigment found in tomatoes and other rosy fruits such as watermelon, pink guava, red bell pepper and papaya. Several studies conducted in recent years (at Harvard Medical School, among others) have linked high intake of lycopene with a lower risk of cancer and heart attacks. Cooked carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage, peppers and many other vegetables also supply more antioxidants, such as carotenoids and ferulic acid, to the body than they do when raw. Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=raw-veggies-are-healthier

You'll need:

• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2-3 chopped garlic cloves
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, cut into rounds (~2c)
• 3-4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 pieces (~2c)
• 2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 -1 inch cubes
• 3 large kale leaves, de-stemmed and cut into1-2 inch pieces.
• 4c low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2-4 c water
• <1TBS pepper
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 cans (~3c) butter beans... kidney beans... chickpeas... whatever you have on hand

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Saute until onion is translucent and carrots begin to soften.
2. Add potatoes and kale. Cover with a lid and cook until kale reduces in volume by half (about 2-3 minutes).
3. Add paprika, pepper, and chili powder. Mix spices in thoroughly.
   
4. Add vegetable stock and water. You could add 7-8 cups of stock and omit the water... but water is cheaper and with all the vegetables and spices the extra stock isn't needed.
   
5. Cook until potatoes and carrots are soft, stirring occasionally.
   
6. Add butterbeans and cook until they are heated through. Adding them sooner will cause the beans to fall apart.

Nom, nom nom!