Asparagus and Leek Soup

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Are you filling up on green beer and mint chocolate cake?  No?  Me either.  I even forgot to put on my green socks today.  I wore an orange shirt to church.  Apparently I have no holiday spirit.  However, I do have a green recipe for you today.  And it is a healthy one, perhaps something to eat after a weekend of not so healthy holiday feasting!  And it comes together in less than 30 minutes, so you just can’t go wrong!

The recipe starts with two leeks.  If you are not familiar, they are in the onion family but have a very mild and almost slightly sweet onion flavor.  They complement the asparagus well as they don’t over-power the dish.

To prepare the leeks, cut off the bulb-y end and the dark green leaves.  Then slice in half and rinse really well under running water.  A lot of dirt and grit get caught between the leaves and you will need to spend some time cleaning them out if you don’t want to crunch you soup.

Put a large dutch oven over medium-high heat and melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil.  Once oil is hot, add two cloves of minced garlic and the chopped leeks.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are softened.

Next, add two bunches of asparagus with the woody stems removed and cut into 2 inch or so pieces.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Once the asparagus is slightly softened, about 5 minutes, cover the veggies with low-sodium vegetable broth.  Depending on the size of your pot, you will need 4-6 cups.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover the pot.  Allow to cook for about 15 minutes, until everything is really soft.

Next, remove the pot from the stove and blend the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.  Alternatively you can blend it in batches in a regular blender but just be careful with the hot liquid.  I HIGHLY recommend garnishing with a sprinkle of smoked paprika.  That adds just a wonderful flavor.  Makes the soup really interesting.  I also added some chopped green onions.  Hope you like this wonderful green soup!

Asparagus and Leek Soup – Serves 4

2 leeks, ends removed, cleaned, and chopped

2 Bunches of asparagus, woody end chopped off and cut into bite sized pieces

2 Cloves garlic, minced

1 Teaspoon coconut oil, melted

4-6 Cups low-sodium vegetable broth

Salt and Pepper

Garnish – smoked paprika and green onions

Place a large dutch oven over medium high heat and warm the oil.  Add the minced garlic, chopped leeks and asparagus and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until soft, about 5-10 minutes.  Cover vegetables with broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover.  Cook until everything is soft.  Blend soup with an immersion blender until smooth.  Garnish with smoked paprika and green onions.  Enjoy!