Spinach and Sweet Pea Soup

This is a recipe my husband has come up with. It has evolved over the last year, from one he found by Dr. Joel Fuhrman into this, based on the vegetables Ted prefers more and ingredients that are easier to find. It is bright green in color when served, and that color doesn't fade even with refrigeration and reheating. We hope you enjoy!!

10oz container Baby Spinach (fresh)

12.6oz bag Baby Broccoli Florets (we used frozen ones)

14.4oz bag Baby Sweet Peas (frozen)

1-15.5oz can Chick Peas, strained and rinsed

1-15.5oz can Butter Beans, strained and rinsed

1-2 cups unsweetened almond milk

6oz fresh soybeans, shelled (the ones from the produce section at the grocery store)

2-3 mushrooms, thinly sliced

fresh parsley, chopped

Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add spinach, broccoli, peas and beans to water and par-blanch (cook for about 2-3 minutes until tender/al dente in texture).

2. Strain

3. Put ingredients in blender (depending on the size of your blender you may need to puree in batches - alternatively if you have a hand/immersion blender you can blend the ingredients in the pot), add 1 cup almond milk. As mixture purees, if you would like it thinner, add more almond milk. Once soup is fully pureed, returned to pot and put on medium heat. Stir often so soup doesn't burn on the bottom. 

4. When soup is hot, add soybeans and cook an additional 5 minutes. 

5. Ladle soup into bowls, top with mushroom slices, parsley and cheese if desired. Season with salt and pepper if needed. 

ENJOY!!

**please note - this makes approx 4 pints of soup (~8 cups), you will have plenty to freeze or package for work lunches. The whole batch of soup has approximately 50 grams of protein, that is 6 grams of protein/cup of soup. Adding cheese would increase the protein, or use of cow's milk instead of almond milk would also increase protein content