Creamy Broccoli Soup

(recipe from Martha Stewart Living)

1 Tbsp. coconut or olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 cups vegetable broth

1 head broccoli, trimmed and chopped (6 cups)

3 cups baby spinach

1 avocado, chopped, plus more for garnish

salt & pepper

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Add broccoli and cook, covered, until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, stir in spinach, and let cool slightly.

Transfer soup to a blender and puree with avocado.  Adjust seasoning.  Garnish with avocado and a drizzle of olive oil.

(So, since February 1, I've been following a strict cleansing diet.  No dairy, no grains, no legumes, no alcohol, no sugar, no junk food.  The only meat I eat is fish, occasional eggs.  Mostly fruit, vegetables, and nuts.  The recipes here have been reflecting this.  Really the only cooked food I've been eating are these simple blended soups that I bring to work for lunch.  Breakfast is typically fruit and nuts, dinner a salad.  My go-to salad of late has been a mixture of kale, radicchio, spinach, spring mix with chopped walnuts, shallot, pomegranate seeds, a tsp. of oil, several tsps. of balsamic.  So good!  I feel great.  It took about 10 days, then I woke up and felt amazing.  So this is only supposed to be for 30 days, but we'll see...  It's hard to imagine wanting to go back to not feeling this great.  This recipe blog may just become a whole lot of salads and soups!

Anyway, this soup is EASY and just tastes like veggies.  Broccoli and spinach are so good for you!)