Superfood Soup

Hey, everybody! I am so sorry that it's been a month since my last post. Homework and rehearsals have taken over my life, and if I weren't sick at home, you probably wouldn't be reading this! I've stayed home from school for the past two days. I have a brutal cough, sore throat and a bit of a stuffy nose, but still have energy to cook and do other things.

My family got a large box of organic, mostly local produce in the mail from Full Circle Farms. A surprise array of vegetables and fruits show up at your door. My mom and I figured that the box would provide me perfect opportunities to think on my feet and create a recipe with whatever I'm given. The box contained red chard, which is a nutrient-dense superfood. I figured that by putting a ton of vegetables into a soup, I'd create the perfect immune system booster. I've attached my recipe and a picture.

Superfood Soup
Serves 6 - 8

This soup will definitely help you recover from any kind of common virus. The nutrient-dense chard and spinach, vitamin-C-packed bell pepper, lycopine in tomatoes, and comforting ginger all contribute to the name "superfood," and superfoods they are.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

A 1-inch long piece of ginger, peeled and minced

2 tsp orange zest

The juice of ½ of a lemon

1 large tomato, diced

3 celery stalks, diced (include the leaves if possible)

1 red bell pepper, diced

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 bunch of red chard, coarsely chopped (discard thick stems)

4 loosely packed cups of baby spinach

A couple handfuls of pine nuts, as a garnish

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

1.      Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and pepper. Sauté until onions turn translucent. Add garlic, ginger, orange zest, lemon juice, tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, and salt. Sauté for 3 – 5 minutes, or until bell pepper and celery have softened a bit. Add broth and season once more if needed. Cover and bring to a simmer.

2.      Once simmering, add chard. Cover again and cook for 9 minutes. Then, add spinach. Cook until barely wilted. Adjust seasonings if needed.

3.      Serve each bowl topped with pine nuts.

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