When it comes to getting my kids to eat more green veggies, sometimes I feel like Sam-I-Am. You know the fuzzy little guy in the famous Dr. Seuss book.
I don’t know why most kids see anything green as a red alert. But alas, most kids do – mine included! And as much as I try to coax them into giving healthy greens a try, I’m often met with the same resistance that good ole Sam-I-Am experienced.
Of course, I haven’t tried offering them the opportunity to enjoy a meal with a mouse, fox or goat … but I have made it a point to continually offer a wide variety of veggies and to get my kids in the kitchen cooking with me, which has worked over time to open up their eyes to the fact that green things can be good! Surprise, surprise!
That’s where this soup comes in … it’s so incredibly simple to make and is just as incredibly delicious to eat. Those green-phobes out there just have to get past its verdant color and be adventurous enough give this tasty soup a try.
What makes this creamy, dairy-free Spring Greens Soup “Mmm, Mmm Good?”
The combination of fresh seasonal asparagus, baby spinach and flat leaf parsley gently simmered in homemade bone broth with just the right touch of seasonings not only makes this soup have standout flavor, but also provides a healthy dose of important nutrients, such as magnesium, iron, folate and vitamins A, C, E and K.
As delicious as this soup is, I must admit that some of the more obstinate green-haters in my family have yet to give this savory soup a try, but I don’t give up easily. I’ll stay the course and keep quoting the wise ole adage of Dr. Seuss … You do not like green soup you say. Try it! Try it! And you may! Try it and you may, I Say!
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh asparagus (1 large bunch)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups diced leeks
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 6 cups homemade chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, tightly packed
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (or almond milk)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Clean asparagus, trimming off the woody ends. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Heat a dutch oven (or large stock pot) over medium heat. Add the olive oil, leeks and onions. Sauté until onions and soft and translucent.
- Add the chicken stock, bay leaf and asparagus. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook asparagus until it begins to soften (about 10-12 minutes).
- Remove bay leaf. Add spinach and parsley. Continue to simmer until asparagus is tender (about 6-8 minutes).
- Puree soup in a high-powered blender, working in batches, if necessary, and return soup to the pot. Stir in milk and season generously with sea salt and pepper to taste.