Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegabtle oil
- 1 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup peeled and diced potato
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 cup quick Vegetable Broth (recipe below) or low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 3 cup asparagus cut into 1-inch lengths
- 4 cup baby spinach, washed and dried or frozen spinach (if using frozen, cook separately and add to the soup just before blending)
- 1 1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dried dill weed or freeze-dried dill
- 1/4 tsp lemon pepper or black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 5 tbsp nonfat plain yogurt
Celery and carrots starting to get limp in the crisper? Onions starting to sprout? You can put these fading (not spoiled) vegetables to good use by simmering them into a simple all-purpose vegetable broth. The recipe that follows lists just the essential vegetables, but use it as a starting point. Check the fridge and toss in any stray vegetables that you would like to use up. A few mushrooms, scallions or tomatoes can contribute extra flavor. Just avoid using strongly flavored vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower (unless you plan to use for a soup of that flavor).
Place 1 onion (peeled and cut into chunks), 2 large carrots (peeled and cut into chunks), 2 ribs celery (cut into chunks), 6 garlic cloves (peeled), 6-8 parsley sprigs (use just the stems and save the leaves for garnishes), 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large pot. Cover with 2 quarts water. Bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, partially covered, over medium-low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Pass the broth through a fine strainer into a large bowl or saucepan, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor. Refrigerate any broth you dont use immediately; freeze if not using within a 3-4 days. Makes about 1 1/2 qt/6 cups. 190 milligrams sodium per cup.
What better way to celebrate the start of the growing season than with a nourishing soup made with spring asparagus and spinach? Even though this soup doesn’t contain any cream, it has a velvety consistency. Pured vegetables thicken the soup and a yogurt garnish provides a creamy-tart finish. You can use this recipe as a template for making a variety of simple vegetable soups, replacing asparagus with broccoli or cauliflower and adjusting cooking time as needed. This is a convenient way to avoid waste and use up extra vegetables you may have on hand.
STEPS
1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 20 to 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, until potato is almost tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in asparagus. Cook, partially covered, until the asparagus is tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the spinach. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and tender, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Transfer half the soup to a blender and pure until smooth. Scrape pured soup into a large saucepan. Repeat with remaining soup. (Use caution when blending hot liquids. Do not fill the blender more than half full. Cover the lid with a kitchen towel and hold it securely in place while blending.)
4. Stir milk into the soup and heat through over medium-high heat. Stir in the lemon juice, dill and lemon pepper. Taste and add salt, if desired. (The salt level will depend on the broth that you use.) (The soup will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days although it may lose its vibrant green color.) Garnish with a dollop of your favorite yogurt.
Yield: 5 servings (1 cup each).
Per serving: Calories: 120. Total fat: 4 grams. Saturated fat: 1 gram. Cholesterol: 5 milligrams. Sodium: 230 milligrams (with low-sodium chicken broth; 310 milligrams sodium with Quick Vegetable Broth). Carbohydrate: 15 grams. Fiber: 3 grams. Sugars: 7 grams. Protein: 7 grams.