Spring Time Asparagus Soup
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A creamy asparagus soup with fresh herbs and tangy lemon juice - the perfect soup for spring! Not only is this soup incredibly flavorful and creamy, but it also happens to be really easy to prepare - and contains just a handful of ingredients.
Enjoy this beautiful soup with a piece of crusty bread and a small side salad for a light and healthy meal.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large bunch of asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
2 and 1/2 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth, divided (chicken broth also works well)
1/2 cup of soaked cashews
Juice of one medium lemon
1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped dill or tarragon
1/4 cup of fresh chopped basil
1/4 cup of fresh Italian parsley
Directions
In a large pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent (6 to 8 minutes). Add in the chopped asparagus and sauté another 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups of vegetable broth to the pan and simmer over low-medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the asparagus is slightly tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a blender, add the remaining 1/2 cup of vegetable broth, the lemon juice and the 1/2 cup of cashews. Blend for 1 minute, or until the mixture is smooth. Add in the onion/asparagus mixture with the broth. Blend again
Add in the salt, pepper and fresh herbs. Blend another minute or so until the soup is creamy and smooth. Taste and season further. Re-heat soup in same pot, otherwise it's great at room temperature. Serve with a crusty piece of bread.
Why I love this:
Asparagus is s a very good source of fiber, folate, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that helps balance blood sugar. It's one of the top ranked vegetables for its ability to neutralize cell-damaging free radicals. This may help slow the aging process and reduce inflammation.
Another anti-aging property of this delicious spring veggie is that it may help our brains fight cognitive decline. Like leafy greens, asparagus delivers folate, which works with vitamin B12—found in fish, poultry, meat and dairy—to help prevent cognitive impairment. In a study from Tufts University, older adults with healthy levels of folate and B12 performed better on a test of response speed and mental flexibility. (If you’re 50-plus, be sure you’re getting enough B12: your ability to absorb it decreases with age.
