01 Mar Creamy Broccoli Soup

It’s not easy, being green….actually, it’s a whole lot easier for me, when I have a healthy dose of “green” in my diet. While being away on vacation has been fun and restorative on many levels, I found myself with a distinct craving for “green” on my way back home. As we made the trek back north, I was formulating a recipe for broccoli soup. My body just seemed to be screaming for this wonderful cruciferous vegetable. “Why stop there?” My body seemed to ask. “Why not add celery and spinach?” “Oh, and while we’re at it, how about some yummy coconut milk?”. “Oh, and since we’ve been sitting around more than usual on this long trek back, how about we help ‘move things along’, by adding some healthy bacteria in the way of cultured coconut?’. “And don’t forget nutritional yeast….the added B vitamins would sure do you good.”  This, my friends, is how my brain works.

I got right to work once I got home, and I’m pretty happy with the results. The addition of a little cultured coconut milk adds a helpful dose of probiotics which can help keep the digestive bacterial flora in check, plus it adds a nice decorative touch.

This recipe is Paleo-friendly, soy, dairy, and nut-free, and vegan to boot. Do you how challenging it is to fit those criteria?

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I did….here’s the recipe.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

1 Tablespoon avocado oil
1 large buch broccoli – chopped, stems trimmed (approx 8 cups)
1 sweet onion, diced (approx 2 cups)
2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced (approx 3/4 cup)
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups vegetable broth
6 cups loosely packed spinach
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 can organic, full-fat coconut milk
Plain cultured coconut milk – 1 tablespoon for each bowl, as garnish

Heat oil in saucepan ( I used a cast iron pan) and add diced onion. Once softened and translucent, add garlic. Then add celery. Once celery softens, add coriander, cumin, turmeric and salt. Once fragrant, add to stock pot of vegetable stock. Add broccoli and bring to a boil. Once at boil, turn down heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.  Add spinach, and let wilt. Once spinach has wilted, use an immersion blender to incorporate well. Add coconut milk and nutritional yeast and continue to blend. To serve, place soup in bowl and add 1 tablespoon of cultured coconut milk. I hope you enjoy!