Green Happy Tummy Soup

After a fun weekend of traveling my tummy needed some recovery.

Between flu season, icky weather, office germs and who knows what else - it's always good to fill up on extra vitamins when you can. Garlic, ginger, broccoli, spinach, and broth are all great for boosting your immune system. I'm not calling this a cure all by any means but it helps.

I needed it after traveling. I've been eating mostly at home the past month and sticking with cleaner foods so unfortunately after eating out all weekend my tummy was in knots. Not fun. But sometimes, totally worth it!

Anyways this soup makes for a great recovery and a happy tummy! Garlic, ginger, broccoli, broth, and spinach are also great anti-inflammatory foods that will help you get back on track. Soup in general is fantastic for tummy recovery.

Besides all these fun healthy benefits - this soup is just really freaking good! Its smooth and creamy (without cream) and so green. All the veggie flavors + broth blend together really nicely so both you and your tummy will be happy for making this.

This isn't totally a one-pot recipe because I used a blender but it could be if you use an immersion blender. I usually would use and immersion blender but the cocotte I was using is brand new and I was so afraid to hurt it (smh). I bought myself a Le Creuset Heart cocotte for Valentines because it was too cute to resist and sometimes you've got to be your own valentine.

After getting back home from my trip to Austin, I didn't have anything in my kitchen for a good wholesome dinner so I ran to Trader Joe's on my way home for some staples + everything I needed for this soup. The main highlight here that I can only find at TJs is the frozen mashed cauliflower. I've been using it in lot of soups lately because it adds a really nice creamy texture without actually adding any cream.

This makes 2 servings of soup! Two for you or one to share, your choice. (I did not share)

You'll need:

• 2 cups broccoli florets

• 1.5 cups Trader Joe's Mashed Cauliflower (or cauliflower florets)

• 1/2 cup diced carrot (one large or two medium carrots), divided

• 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed a roughly chopped

• 1 inch ginger, sliced

• 2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 handful spinach

• 1/2 cup frozen peas

• 1 can of white hominy, drained and rinsed

• basics: cooking oil (olive, coconut, vegetable), salt + pepper

• garnish: diced chives, more diced carrot, melted light sour cream

Instructions

1. Add broccoli, 1/4 cup diced carrot, garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon oil of choice to a pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Cover to roast about 8 minutes then add 1 cup chicken broth, frozen mashed cauliflower or cauliflower florets, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook another 8 minutes until frozen mashed cauliflower is no longer frozen.

2. Transfer contents to a blender (or us an immersion blender), add a handful of spinach and another cup of broth.

3. Blend until it reaches your desired consistency (which is definitely a personal thing). I went for a full on puree because I wanted it really smooth.

4. At contents back to your pot or dutch oven. Stir in frozen peas, the remaining diced carrots, and hominy. Now is a good time to add more pepper if you like. If its not soupy enough for you (yes that is the technical term ;) then add more broth during this step.

5. Cover and heat over medium low so the new additions warm up. This should take a few minutes.

6. Split into bowls then top it off with extra diced carrot, frozen peas, and chives for presentation purposes. Food is fun when its pretty too! I like to microwave a tablespoon or two of (light) sour cream for about 15 seconds and spread a little in the center to add some nice contrast. I also always end up adding red pepper flakes and some sort of complementary hot sauce to soup. A chipotle style hot sauce (cholula, tobasco) would work really well here. I added Yellowbird Serrano hot sauce and it was the perfect kick!