Green Smoothie Soup

So, I really like the green smoothies in the morning, but sometimes I'm not in the mood for raw.  Sometimes I want that smooth creamy, warm goodness of a soup.  And I want the healing, balancing properties of the greens too.  So, a logical leap is to make a pureed soup with the greens.  I've made soups that were green before, like asparagus soup, broccoli soup or pea soup, but this soup is so much more! Those soups are definitely yum, but they just seem so one dimensional compared to the newest batch of soups.

I've made a few of these at this point, and I find that I really crave them after I have pigged out on junk.  They give a huge bump of nutrients, and they are alkaline type foods, which will balance the massive load of sugar you probably just ate while indulging.  They will help ward off sugary cravings too.  All in all, this is an awesome soup.  And, while J feels like the smoothies are too "crunchy" for him, (he won't admit it, he just is never "in the mood for it" when I make them, lol), he will devour the soup.  I love how you can almost feel your body taking in the nutrients!

One of the things that I've learned about cooking is that, once you learn some basic flavour combinations, cooking is really easy.  It's forgiving and unique.  So many of my "recipes" are never the same because I never have all of the same things in the pantry.  Or I am wanting (or not wanting) a particular punch from a certain spice.  Anyway, what I am trying to say that my usual disclaimer applies here, the same as always:  Take measurements with a grain of salt (ha-ha), and don't be afraid to improvise a little!

For these soups you can use broth or water.  I like using a nice chicken stock so that I get all of those nutrients too, but that is not always possible of practical, and water will work just fine too.

The first thing you want to do is prepare the veggies that take the longest to cook.  I like using lentils in my soup because they are pretty nutrient dense, have a bunch of fiber, and help me feel fuller than in I were to just eat the veggies.  So I add my (soaked) lentils to the broth, and which ever veggie is my base - broccoli, asparagus, split peas, etc.  I bring this to a boil and let it simmer.  While that is happening I chop up more veggies and add them in order of how long it takes to cook them.  Some things I like to use are squashes, carrot, parsnip, leeks and cucumber, then I add in some leafy greens like lettuce, arugula, kale, spinach, etc.  To season, thyme and rosemary work nice, but I really like a combo of coriander, sage, and mustard. Hitting it with a bit of balsamic vinegar can add a little umph to it too. Once everything is cooked through and soft, puree.  Again, adding rice or potato can help thicken a soup that is too thin. 

I love eating this with good crunchy bread and a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese; it's like heaven!  I bet this would also be good as a cream soup using fresh sour cream or yogurt.

Hopping on the Green Smoothie Train

Wow, it's amazing how when the weather get's nicer and the days get longer....I still don't have "enough" time! Luckily though, this is usually because Nick and I are outside enjoying nature and playgrounds.  I can live with that!

If you have been looking at any blogs similar to the ones I follow, you will have noticed by now that everyone has a green smoothie recipe that they rave about.  Well, I am no different! I made a couple attempts at trying them in the weeks prior to this, but have always had trouble finishing them, and I only did because I knew what I was doing was good.  That is because I foolishly looked at the ingredients and thought, "nutbutter and spinach? no way that could be good!".  Well, let me tell you that I finally tried it, and boy did that make a difference!

In case you don't know, green smoothies are an excellent way to incorporate those really, really, really good nutrients in an easy, delicious way.  And you will probably get a lot more in than you would if you tried to just eat each ingredient on it's own.

I adapted my recipe from one of my favorite blogs, "Oh She Glows", http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/13/classic-green-monster/.  This is yet another one of those recipes that you will adapt and change with what you have in the fridge, but I have found that having a few of the ingredients is a must, at least when you are just starting out on the Green Smoothie train.  I use my immersion blender to make my  smoothies, and I fill up the blender cup most of the way with spinach.  Obviously, any leafy green works here, but I typically get some really yummy spinach in my Veggie Delivery.  Being a green smoothie, this is an important ingredient.  The next thing, which surprised me, was the nut butter.  You could use peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, whatever you like.  But this adds a bit of protein, and oddly enough cuts the spinach taste in the most wonderful way!.  I use about one and a half tablespoons.  The next ingredient that is a super nice boost is a tablespoon of coconut oil.  It's got natural antibiotic and antifungal properties, plus it's loaded with healthy fat.  Score! Then I add in a tablespoon or two of ground flax meal.  This has good Omega 3 fatty acids, and also is a really good way to keep things....regular.  If you are not accustomed to using flax seed meal, start with a small amount and work your way up.   Trust me.  The final important aspect of this is to put some kind of frozen fruit in.  Bananas are really easy, inexpensive, and taste great with the mix.  Next you can add in yoghurt, almond milk, fruit puree, honey, or a number of other fruits and veggies you have around.  If you use too many berries, your smoothie may not be green.  This may or may not help the look of your drink!

As you can tell by my excessive use of exclamation points, I feel really good after having a few of these.  The other reason why I love these, is that it actually makes me feel full for a long time, which is really hard to do. My other recommendation is to only make what you will drink in one sitting.  These will not hold up well in the fridge, unfortunately.  Especially if you decide to throw an avocado in there.  That will taste great, but it will turn brown after a little while.  That is not appetizing. Anyway, I get to fill up the cup my immersion blender came with, and it's enough for two normal people (i.e. two of these mason jars), or one nursing Mom. 

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana
1 handful of spinach
1/4 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1.5 tablespoons of ground flax meal
1.5 tablespoons nut butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
enough liquid (almond milk, pear puree, orange juice, etc) to blend

Possible additions/substitutions: kale, collard greens, mixed greens, lettuce, yard greens, cucumber, carrots, avocado, mango, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries...you get the idea! Try to have more veggies than fruit though!