For those of us looking for a healthier diet in the New Year, we often turn to leafy greens - but these greens are great in more than just salad. Leafy greens can be implemented into your hot meals, too! As the weather remains chilly in January, we’re going to want to stay warm, so we’ve turned to a Winter classic; soup.
Spinach happens to be the hardiest, most versatile, and one of the most popular leafy greens available in stores. As a cold-weather crop, spinach stays available and fresh year-long. Mature spinach can survive temperatures to 0° and even gets sweeter as the weather gets colder. Spinach is also a well-known superfood, and known to be a fantastic source of Vitamin A and K. Some of the health benefits credited to spinach are better skin, eyesight, and blood pressure. It’s also known for improving your bones, muscles, diabetes, and heart!
So to celebrate spinach and the New Year, we’ve compiled these soups for you to try that go great with spinach in them. Whether you choose to puree it or add it to your already hearty soups, Popeye would be proud.
Avocado & Spinach Cream Soup
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2 avocados, freshly peeled, pitted and sliced
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10 oz of fresh spinach
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3 TBS olive oil
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½ c. chopped onion
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3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
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3 ½ c. chicken (or vegetable) broth
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½ c. light cream
Saute the onion and garlic in a pot, add spinach and toss until wilted. Add the broth and avocado and bring to a simmer. For extra flavor, add lemon juice and cumin. Cover and reduce the heat, cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add the cream. Puree the soup in a blender to get that creamy consistency. Serves 4, warm or chilled.
White Bean & Spinach Soup
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1 TBS olive oil
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1 onions, chopped
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1 c. chopped celery
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2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
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2 c. vegetable (or chicken) broth
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2 c. water
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½ lb of white beans
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Dash each of dried thyme, rosemary, and red pepper flakes
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6 oz baby spinach, chopped
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2 TBS of lemon juice
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Salt and pepper to taste
Rinse and sort the beans. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium. Saute the onion and celery for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Add the broth, water, beans and seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Stir in the spinach and lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for one minute more. Serves 4. Delicious when paired with chicken or eat solo with some bread.
Hearty Spinach & Millet Soup
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2 TBS olive oil
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1 medium onion, chopped
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3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
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28 oz can crushed tomatoes
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2 TBS each of lemon juice and water
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15.5 oz can of white or red beans, rinsed and drained
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¾ c. millet
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1 bag baby spinach, chopped
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6 c. vegetable broth
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½ c. Parmesan cheese
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¼ c. parsley, chopped
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Saute the onion and garlic. If you want some extra veggies, you can add celery and carrots. Add the lemon juice and water and cook for another 2 minutes. Add everything else but the parsley and bring the soup to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add the parsley, salt and pepper to taste before serving. Serves 4.
