Hello Darlings!
It’s about that time that a plethora of fresh produce will be at our fingertips. Although spring is upon us, cold weather is still in the air—for many of us—and has me craving warm, comfort food. To fit the bill for this transition of seasons, I’ve incorporated fresh asparagus into a cozy soup.
If you’re not super comfortable in the kitchen, soups can be intimidating, but hear me when I say:this one is pretty straightforward to pull together. It’s simply a matter of sautéing chopped vegetables and blending a bunch of ingredients into a beautifully green purée before serving. I reserve a few asparagus tips and toast some pine nuts to add a little crunch to the top of each cup of soup.
Not only does puréeing make this soup extra smooth, but the addition of non-dairy milk adds a creamy element that helps keep the finished product anti-inflammatory. As always, when using non-dairy options, check the ingredient label and choose one that uses whole-food ingredients only.
When cooking with produce, I opt for using fresh and locally grown options whenever possible. Why is it ideal to use produce that is fresh and local? If maximizing flavor isn’t enough to convince you, using fruits and veggies that have been grown locally means that you’re consuming them much closer to their point of peak nutrition and supporting the local farmers that worked hard to grow them. As for asparagus, it is full of both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients, as well as amino acids that are said to benefit heart and brain health.
I am all about using nutrient-dense ingredients whenever and wherever possible in my cooking, and spring is the season for making the most out of all of the delicious vegetables it brings.
More spring recipes will be coming your way soon. In the meantime, check out my ever-growing collection at www.aubreeholmes.com and on Instagram @aubreeholmes.
With gratitude,
Aubree
Asparagus Soup
You Will Need:
3 tablespoons avocado oil or ghee
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 pounds fresh asparagus, roughly chopped and rough ends removed
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 cup unsweetened, non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pine nuts, toasted
To Make:
Add the avocado oil to a large pot set over medium heat. Stir in the shallots and garlic and let cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the asparagus and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the asparagus are fork tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove several asparagus tips and set aside.
Add the milk, vinegar, black pepper, nutmeg and remaining teaspoon of salt to the pot of asparagus. Stir and bring to a simmer.
Turn off the heat and purée the soup with an immersion blender, or carefully pour the soup into a high-powered blender and process until smooth. If using a stand blender, pour the soup back into the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer for another minute or two.
Serve right away with the reserved asparagus tips and pine nuts sprinkled on top.
Enjoy!
