Description
Comfort food doesn’t have to weigh you down! Warm and sustaining, this rich, luscious Holiday Detox Soup brings all the flavors and nutrients of fall without any heaviness.
Ingredients
2 TB olive oil
1 med chopped yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots (about 3 large carrots)
1 cup diced celery (about 5 medium trimmed stalks)
1 cup freshly peeled and diced butternut squash (frozen not recommended)
1 cup peeled diced parsnip
1 TB minced garlic (4 lg cloves)
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1 26-oz can diced tomatoes
6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 bay leaf
1 TB salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained and rinsed
5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
1 cup frozen green peas
Instructions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, parsnips, garlic, thyme, and oregano and cook over medium heat, stirring to avoid browning, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the beans. If the soup seems too thick, add more chicken stock (or water). Just before serving, add the spinach and frozen peas and cook just a couple minutes more, until the spinach is wilted and the peas are bright green. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, sprinkling with shaved Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
… To save time, you can use pre-cut, frozen butternut squash, but I don’t recommend it. The ones I’ve tried are cut irregularly and are sloppily peeled, necessitating more work than I’m willing to do for a ‘convenience’ item.
