A variation of a classic minestrone soup. It’s packed with super green nutrients for increased energy. Use whatever you find at the farmers market in season.
Serves 4
Soup Ingredients
4 -6 cups vegetable stock, recipe below
1 bunch asparagus, tips only
1 bunch of spinach, or kale, chopped
2 cups english peas
1 head fennel, sliced, then chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed with salt
1 spring onion, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, juiced, plus zest
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1/4 cup parsley,chopped
Pesto Ingredients (Optional)
Bunch of basil leaves, 25 leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup parmigiano reggiano, or nutritional yeast
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted 4 minutes, dry pan
1 clove garlic
squeeze of lemon
Preparing Pesto
Mix all pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse. Leave a bit chunky. Do not over mix, it will make the pesto taste bitter. Set aside.
Preparing the soup:
Add half of the olive oil to a hot pan on medium heat. Add the onion, and saute for 5 minutes. Add smashed garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/2 tsp salt. Add fennel and saute 5 minutes. Add warm stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add spinach, asparagus, peas, and the rest of the olive oil. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice, zest, and chopped parsley. Taste again for seasoning.
Add half of the pesto and mix into the soup. Put soup in bowls and top with more pesto.
Easy Vegetable Stock Recipe:
In a soup pot on medium heat, add 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Then add 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, 1 turnip, 1 white onion, 2 leeks, 2 twigs of thyme, a handful of parsley, 1 garlic clove, 7 whole peppercorns, and 1 tsp. sea salt. Add 6 cups of filtered water and simmer for 1-2 hours. Strain Vegetables. Broth keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezes up to 3 months.
Buon Appetito
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