365 Guru - Recipes, Music & Health - Rock ON: [Healthy_Recipes_For_Diabetic_Friends] Organic Broccolini and Spinach Soup

Saturday, October 25, 2014

[Healthy_Recipes_For_Diabetic_Friends] Organic Broccolini and Spinach Soup - 18.4g Carbs, 5.8g Fiber, 6.3g Sugar

Organic Broccolini and Spinach Soup - 18.4g Carbs, 5.8g Fiber, 6.3g Sugar

From: www.organicauthority.com - by Laura Klein

This soup is delicious in winter and summer and is a great way to eat your greens! If you can't find broccolini at your local market substitute broccoli and peel the stems (this is not necessary with broccolini because of its tenderness). Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese kale. The result is a tender, slightly sweet vegetable with edible stems and florets.
Serves: 4 - 6 (6 servings used for nutrition)

1 1/2 lb organic broccolini
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup chopped leek
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tsp fresh basil chopped
1 tsp fresh marjoram chopped
1 tsp fresh Italian parsley chopped
5 cups organic vegetable stock (you can also use chicken stock)
2 cups packed organic spinach washed, and trimmed
2 tsp fresh grated lemon zest
2 Tbsp Meyer Lemon juice
1 cup organic soy or almond milk, or 1/4-1/2 cup of cream if preferred

Cut the stems from the florets of the broccolini. Cut stems into about 1/2 – inch pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion and leek to pan and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Lower temperature to medium heat and cook vegetables slowly until tender about 10 minutes (you do    not want the vegetables to take on any color).

Stir in the basil, marjoram, and Italian parsley. Add the broccolini stems, vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes. Add the florets and cook until fork tender about 5 minutes. Stir in cleaned spinach and lemon zest. Once the spinach has wilted into the soup, puree the soup in small batches in a blender.

Return blended soup to pan and stir in lemon juice then soy milk. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve in warm bowls and garnish with lemon zest.

This recipe can be made ahead up until the point you blend the soup and store it in the refrigerator for several days or up to one month frozen.

Using plain unsweetened almond milk, Pacific Vegetable Broth.
Nutrition From: www.caloriecount.about.com
Servings: 6
Serving Size 302 g
Nutrition per Serving: 132 Calories, 46 Calories from Fat, 5.2g Total Fat, 0.7g Saturated Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 246mg Sodium, 443mg Potassium, 18.4g Total Carbs, 5.8g Dietary Fiber, 6.3g Sugars, 4.4g Protein
Vitamin A 24% - Vitamin C 188% - Calcium 17% - Iron 14%
Nutrition Grade: A

Good points:
    No cholesterol
    High in calcium
    High in dietary fiber
    High in iron
    High in vitamin A
    Very high in vitamin B6
    Very high in vitamin C