One of my many doctors suggested more avocados in my diet, and how could broccoli not be a great ingredient to incorporate? I'll find out once I meet with a certified nutritionist, but until then... I think this soup is ultra healthy and decidedly delicious. The one caveat is that I think it was a little too reliant on the garnish. The herb infused oil was optional in the original recipe, but I beg to differ.
Source: Tasty Yummies | Serves: 4 | Time: 30 min
Changes: used iodized salt instead of sea salt (my thyroid condition is helped with iodine); used bottled lemon juice instead of a fresh lemon; skipped lemon zest
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil, avocado oil, butter or ghee
1 medium sweet onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1½ lbs #broccoli, cut into florets, stems peeled and cut into rounds
6 cups vegetable broth (homemade to reduce)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped, stems removed
2 avocados, reserve ½ #avocado for serving
For Serving
Fresh herbs or herb oil (see below)
Avocado, diced or sliced
Red pepper flakes
Herb Infused Oil for Serving
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup roughly chopped herbs, I used parsley
Sea salt, to taste
Red pepper flakes
Instructions
Make the infused oil and set aside. Stir all the ingredients together well and set aside to use for serving the soup.
In a large saucepan set over medium heat, sauté the chopped onion in oil, butter or other cooking fat just until it turns translucent and tender.
Add chopped garlic, season with salt and pepper, cook for another minute or two.
Add the broccoli florets and stems along with chicken veggie broth. Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with lid and allow to simmer until the broccoli florets and stems are tender, approximately 10-15 minutes.
Add the lemon juice, greens, herbs and avocado. Stir.
Turn off the heat and using a hand held immersion blender or working in batches in a high speed blender, puree the soup until creamy and smooth.
Serve topped with fresh avocado, herb oil or fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes, if you’d like.