Zucchini Broccoli Pea Soup, affectionately known as “green soup” (so imaginative, I know), is a favourite in our house. It’s perfect for the spring season but we enjoy it all year round. It makes a delicious lunch or light dinner, is very simple to make, and also my favourite colour to boot.
As I’ve shared in a previous health post, I struggle with chronic anemia so I’ve been trying to include more greens into my diet for nutritional benefits. However, I find it difficult to eat enough leafy greens.
For one, I’m not a big fan of raw salads; which is where my mind goes automatically when I hear the words “leafy greens”. Another reason is that greens spoil so quickly and usually go to waste before I can use them. Lastly, I just prefer warm, cooked foods over cold and raw for digestion and food safety.
It seemed like a hurdle to follow this good health advice and part of me wished I had a best friend who lived nearby and was also a chef with lots of free time and obviously loved me a great deal enough to just make all my meals. Truth be told, I also imagined her feeding me and then cleaning up all the dishes afterwards. I must have been pretty tired during this imagining.
Anyway, one glorious day following this daydream, I had the grand revelation to make a pureed green soup. I love pureed soups! I found this Super Simple Green recipe by The Full Helping and chuckled all the way to the grocery store for greens. By that I mean I went online and placed a grocery order. My husband picked it up later that week and Soup Saturday was born!
I use Zucchini as the base, which adds a creamy texture to the soup. I also add frozen broccoli and sweet green peas, both of which our family enjoys. Sometimes, I’ll also toss in frozen spinach for extra nutrition. For liquids, I use a mix of water and pho broth which keeps the flavour mild yet still very delicious.
I like to serve the soup with grilled cheese sandwiches on the side. I also add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil for healthy fats, as well as a scattering of sunflower seeds which has iron and other nutrition.
The first time I made this, my daughter – who doesn’t eat a lot at mealtimes, citing “a full stomach” – actually wanted a second serving. After recovering from choking on my soup in shock, I told her that I unfortunately had already put the leftovers away in the fridge for lunch the next day. She, however, was not deterred and was satisfied with scraping up whatever was left in the pot. Needless to say, this mom very quickly added this soup to the make-again list!
What about you; will you give it a try? This recipe is very adaptable to use a variety of vegetables. Take inspiration from what’s available seasonally, locally, or whatever makes your tastebuds sing, and make this soup today.