Serves four to six
Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
2 c broccoli florets and stalk
1-5 oz clamshell baby spinach
1-14oz (398ml) can soft white beans (like navy or cannellini), drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen peas
32 oz (946ml) container of low sodium vegetable broth
1/4 – 3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 – 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
chili flakes to taste
Heat oil in a soup pot and saute onion until glossy and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp salt.
Add garlic and broccoli and saute for about 3 minutes. Next add spinach and stir until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add beans and peas and stir until heated through.
Add spices and broth and then puree with an immersion blender to desired consistency. I like to do it until the soup is about three-quarters pureed so there is still some texture there. You can also make this soup in your blender but it is about double the capacity of a normal blender so do it in two batches.
This is a super flexible soup. Try baby kale, arugula, green chickpeas…whatever you have lying around.
And about seasoning – I like a lot of spices but I am getting used to cooking for young kids and a bunch of different taste buds hence the range. Golden rule of cooking: taste and adjust!
For more delicious, anti-inflammatory, and plant-centred awesomeness, visit my blog! Photo credit: Melissa Quantz
Desiree Nielsen is a registered dietitian based in Vancouver, British Columbia. She runs a nutrition consulting practice with a focus on inflammation, digestion and plant-centred diets. Desiree is the author of a book on anti-inflammatory nutrition called Un-Junk Your Diet: How to shop, cook and eat to fight inflammation and feel better, forever and Banish the Bloat, a digestive health program. She is also co-founder of My Healthy Gut, an innovative and research-backed iOS app for digestive health.