Spring Vegetable Soup
This spring vegetable soup is fast, easy, nutritious and delicious – just the way I like it. It is also perfect for spring time since all of the ingredients are readily available. To make a vegan version just substitute olive oil and one of the non-dairy cream options for the dairy. For a Thai spin, use the coconut milk and add some Tom Yum paste, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, and galangal. Oh, and LOTS of red pepper flakes!
INGREDIENTS
• 2 T butter or olive oil
• 1 pound leeks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 quarts water
• 3 large potatoes, chopped (I leave these out since I am allergic to them)
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/3 cup uncooked long-grain white or brown rice (if desired)
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 pound fresh spinach
• 1 cup heavy cream or toffuti soy sour cream or coconut milk.
DIRECTIONS
1. Melt the butter/oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the leeks and onion, and cook until tender.
2. Pour water into the pot. Mix in potatoes, carrots, asparagus, and rice. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20-30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
3. Stir spinach and cream into the soup mixture, and continue cooking about 5 minutes before serving.
Hi Linda,
I am the fiance of Gary Tharler. He showed me your web site and I am happy to find a resourse for cooking. I love the recipes but Gary is eating only fish which I am not to fond of and he seems to have a sensitivity to dairy. So in this recipe can I leave out the cream???
Thanks,
Kate
Hi Kate,
Absolutely you can leave out the cream. The Tofutti would be one non-dairy alternative, and coconut milk another. You could leave it out entirely too. It would lack some of the depth and richness that it would otherwise have, but, you could add ginger and Thai basil for more complexity, if, you enjoy those flavors.