Blended Broccoli Soup

Back to my favorite- Soup!

This recipe comes from the cookbook of my favorite co-op, Ocean Beach People’s in San Diego. I love this soup for how simple and healthy it is. It’s clean enough to be eaten on a cleanse, and light enough to be served as a first course. 

¼ cup olive oil

2 cups carrots, diced

2 cups celery, diced

2 cups yellow onion, diced

3 tablespoons garlic, minced

1½ teaspoons fresh thyme

2 teaspoons sea salt

1½ teaspoons black pepper

1 lemon, zested

8 cups vegetable broth

8 cups broccoli florets

4 cups spinach

**I like to add a few dashes of cayenne and I always double the recipe and add extra broccoli.

Sauté carrots, onion, celery, and broccoli stems in olive oil for 20 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add thyme, salt, pepper, lemon zest, broccoli, and broth. Bring to a simmer without letting it boil. (The soup retains a brighter green color and tastes better if the broccoli doesn’t get overcooked.) Once the broccoli is tender, remove from heat and add spinach. Blend the soup with an immersion blender, or let it cool slightly before doing it in a blender. The immersion blender is easier, but I prefer the blender (especially a vitamix) because it gives the soup a creamier texture.

Green Drink

This is my absolute favorite way to start the day. When you have something this healthy for breakfast, it’s bound to be a good day no matter what comes next. Green drinks are nutritious and satisfying without making you feel slow or heavy. They are also substantial enough to be consumed as a detox program. Try drinking nothing but green drink for a week and see how amazing you feel. (Granted the first three days will not be so great if you’re a caffeine/sugar addict, but after the initial detox period you will feel amazing!)

Greens

Chard

Kale

Dandelion greens

Spinach

Collard greens

Beet greens

Mustard greens

Fruits

Apple

Banana

Berries

Peaches

Grapefruit

Grapes

Dates

Pear

Kiwi

Omegas

Flax seeds

Hemp seeds

Chia seeds

Optional add-ins

Aloe vera

Green powder (spirulina, chlorella, algae, etc.)

Stevia (for sweetness)

Maca powder (wink, wink)

To make a green drink, pick 3 greens and add 3 gigantic handfuls to the blender. Pick another 2-3 fruits and 1 source of omega (along with any other optional add-ins). Add 15oz or so of water (how much water you need will really depend on your blender and how thick you like the texture). Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy. YUM!

A few of my favorite combinations:

Spinach, kale, chard, apple, banana, grapefruit, chia seeds, aloe vera, a pinch of stevia and water

Kale, dandelion greens, chard, white peach, blueberry, hemp seeds and water

Dino kale, spinach, red grapes, banana, flax seeds, Vitamineral green powder, water