Category Archives: spinach

Chick-Pea and Spinach Soup

My son is eating less and less meat but not thinking about replacing it with protein from other sources. I thought about trying a chick pea soup as that legume is full of protein, vitamins and minerals too and he loves soups as much as me!!

Ingredients:

1tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 onions chopped
1 potato peeled and cut in chunks
4 cups of vegetable soup
2 tbsp each mined fresh parsley and coriander
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 can of chick -peas, drained and rinsed
half a package of fresh spinach washed and chopped

Steps to make the recipe

In large heavy saucepan (I used my creuset), heat oil and cook garlic and onions for 5 minutes or until soft.

Add the potato, cook for another minute.

Add stock and herbs and cover and simmer for 15 minutes. I regularly make my own stock with bones, broccoli or asparagus stems extra…that I freeze until I am ready to make the stock. When stock is ready I freeze in 4cups portions.

Stir in chick-peas.

In a blender or with your hand blender, purée the mixture and return to pan.

Add spinach and simmer for 5 minutes.

You may need to add water if it is too thick.

Add salt and pepper to taste

This makes a very complete meal and my son gives it the thumbs up!!

Posted in Recipes, soup, spinach

Green Soup / Crème Verte

Nov 2

Posted by Martine

This is a recipe that is based on the teaching of my aunt Raymonde. When I first moved into our house, she and my parents drove down from Montreal for weekend visits. We would go to the farmer’s market, which was quite fun with aunt Raymonde and my mom, and always came back with some sort of leafy greens (Swiss chard was her favourite). She taught us how to make a cream of vegetable with pretty much any leafy greens, although she often would only use Swiss chard leaves. My baby food purees for my boys when they were little were largely based on this recipe adapted with less spices. I have modified it over the years to what has become known in our house as the “green soup”. You can substitute pretty much any green vegetable in this recipe. Really whatever you have on hand including broccoli and their stems, asparagus etc…This is really a base for any cream of vegetable.

Cette recette est basée sur mes souvenirs de la cuisine avec Tante Raymonde. Lorsque nous avons déménagé dans notre première maison, mes parents et tante Raymonde venaient en visite de Montréal pour une fin de semaine de temps à autre. Nous allions souvent au marché des fermiers et revenions à tout coup avec des légumes verts tel que de la bette à carde (drôle de traduction!). C’était sa préférée et souvent le seul légume vert de sa recette. Mes cubes de nourriture en purée pour mes garçons lorsqu’ils étaient petits étaient en grande partie basée sur cette recette. J’ai adapté et ajouté à sa recette au fil des années pour créer ce qui est devenu dans notre maison comme étant la “soupe verte”. Vous pouvez remplacer à peu près n’importe quel légumes verts dans cette recette. C’est vraiment une recette de base pour faire une crème de légumes.

Ingredients:

1 bunch each rapini, swiss chards leaves, kale, spinach and coriander.
2 zucchini sliced (I often add leftover broccoli or asparagus).
5 potatoes (to thicken the soup, I often freeze leftover mash potatoes or cooked rice to use in this soup)
3 garlic cloves
1 large onions
3 tbsp of vegetable broth concentrate (powder or liquid). I have discovered the Better than Bouillon brand and it has become my favorite.
1tbsp of garlic salt and celery salt
1 tsp of pepper

In a large dutch oven or stock pot, place the coarsely chopped rapini and cover with water. Bring to boil and cook for 15 minutes. In a separate pan, fry the chopped onions and the minced garlic in oil for 3-4 minutes or until onion is browned. Add the zucchini and sweat for a couple of minutes. Add the onion mix to the pot with the rapini. Chop all the other greens and add to the pot as well. (If you are not using rapini, you would fry the onions in the stock pot and add everything in there). Add the potatoes cut into small cubes, 3 tbsp of vegetable broth concentrate and the spices. Add enough water to cover the greens completely. Again if you are not using rapini and do not have any liquid yet, you would add 6-8 cups of water or homemade broth.