Amazing Broccoli Soup

When my youngest sister was little she used to refuse to eat dinner at the table, and instead would crawl around under the table, go up to someone and stick her hand up. This person then had to exclaim,”Oh look – it’s THE HAND!” You then put food into “The Hand” and “The Hand” would pull back and my sister would eat whatever the food was. It was the only way we could get her to eat any vegetables at all.

30 years later, she still hates vegetables. Since she no longer crawls around under the table and I often cook for her, I’ve had to be inventive. This is a recipe for an incredible broccoli soup. She hates broccoli and other green earthly substances (which I adore), but she loves this soup. It’s a favorite of my own kids’ also.

From an energetic nutritional standpoint, the green color is good for the liver, and the upward and inward energetic direction of growth is good for the lungs and large intestine. The fresh vegetables are packed with vitamins and fiber. The method of cooking is warming, tonifying (strengthening), and moistening.

I always recommend organic produce if you have it. This recipe also has very little waste. What small amount you do have makes great compost, or even food for some pets. The ingredients are highlighted.

Chop up the following vegetables and set aside in a bowl:
1 large russet or several smaller potatoes (about 2 cups chopped), washed and unpeeled
2-3 stalks of fresh broccoli including the stalk. (Chop the florets off, then peel the thick skin off the stalk. Chop the soft inside of the stalk into small pieces.)

Keep separate from above:
1 onion and 2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

Warm your soup cooking pot on the stove and add 1 large spoonful of coconut oil with 1Tbsp. olive oil. Coconut oil tends to be sticky to cook with, but blends beautifully with a little olive oil. When the oil is hot, sauté the onion and garlic until they are slightly brown.

Add all of the broccoli.

Leaving at least one inch of space at the top of the pot, cover with your choice of chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water. Sprinkle a little salt over the top and bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 1 hour.

The vegetables should be soft. Turn the soup off and remove from the heat. Sprinkle some dill, fresh ground pepper, and any other spices you like. Add 1 cup of half and half cream.

Using a stick handmixer or blender, puree the soup until smooth. If it's too thick, add a little more water. Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt in each bowl, and either homemade buttermilk biscuits or rosemary bread from your favorite bakery. Enjoy!