3 Ingredient Green Soup
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During these upcoming summer months, your body may be craving lighter meals, hydrating fruits, and more veggies (just to feel good in the skin you’re in!).
Or, maybe the summer potlucks have you craving potato chips and charred meat, and reaching for those veggies is not a natural inclination right now...
Either way it’s all great - take a moment to check in with where you’re at, and either keep riding the healthy-’cause-it-feels-good train, or get back on it.
Here’s a soup for when you just have a craving for those greens (this happens to me - usually when too much sugar has sneaked its way in!) or perhaps for when you tummy needs a break. It’s made with three simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand, and each ingredient has so much to offer.
Broccoli & Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli, are some of the best types of veggies you can eat. Their high nutrient profile comes from glucosinolates, a compound that is shown to exert a variety of health benefits and disease prevention. glucosinolates work synergistically with other phytonutrients to reduce inflammation and promote antioxidant activity. Since inflammation is a common denominator in many modern diseases, including autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and Alzheimer's, incorporating more cruciferous vegetables is always a great idea. Not to mention, the compounds found in cruciferous vegetables are excellent for daily detoxification.
Spinach
If you’ve only been putting spinach in your green smoothie, it’s time to try it in this soup!
Spinach contains twice as much iron as other greens (though it’s non-heme iron - read more about that here ) and is one of the most alkaline-producing foods. The acid-alkaline theory basically states that the root of disease comes from an overly acid pH in the body; this is an oversimplification, but it’s always a good goal to consume more alkaline-producing foods and less acid-producing foods (i.e. eat more vegetables than grains and bread). Spinach is also one of the richest sources lutein, which is especially important for eyesight and preventing macular degeneration.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
The olive oil is what makes this soup. Experiment for yourself: try the broccoli and spinach only. Then, add the olive oil in and try again. You’ll be amazed! Extra-virgin olive oil has been long celebrated for its numerous benefits, including being anti-inflammatory anti-cancer, and high in anti-oxidants. Consumption of extra-virgin olive oil in place of saturated fats also been shown to prevent he oxidation of cholesterol and help prevent atherosclerosis. Make sure to use a high-grade olive oil in this soup (as well as in the rest of your cooking!). Low grade extra-virgin olive oils won’t have a high polyphenol content, and those versions do not like to get blended with a metal blade - you’ll notice a bitter aftertaste. To learn more about how to choose the best olive oil see here.
3 Ingredient Green Soup
Makes 2 servings
- 2 cups steamed broccoli or cauliflower florets
- 1 cup packed spinach
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon mineral rich sea salt (pink Himalayan or Celtic), or to taste
- Few grinds of fresh pepper
Directions
- Steam the broccoli or cauliflower florets about 5 minutes.
- Remove the florets and place into a blender along with the spinach and water.
- Blend until smooth
- With the blender running on low, drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil until just incorporated. Make sure you use a high grade oil!***
- Pour blended soup back into a small pot to warm.
- Serve and enjoy!