When I say green, I mean greeeen. I love this soup because it is the antithesis of cold, leafy salad but it serves the same wholesome, vitamin-packed purpose. Yes, it contains a couple of naughty dairy products, but the amounts are pretty minuscule and they make this soup thoroughly delicious without negating the awesome benefits of the kale, leeks, and spinach. Plus you can finish an entire bowl! Of actual kale! Without feeling like a cow in a pasture, chewing and chewing and chewing.

A word of caution to those of you with super-blenders. Don’t skip the cooking part of this soup process. The fact that your blender can heat soup doesn’t mean it will cook it, and raw, blended kale is inconceivably bitter. I know because I tried it. Use your vitamix or blendtec if you want, but cook the veggies first. Trust me.

Green Soup With Cream
makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:
-2 small leeks (about 2 cups chopped)
-small bunch kale (about 2-3 cups chopped)
-2 tsp butter
-about 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (enough to cover cooked veggies and achieve a blendable consistency)
-1/2 cup frozen spinach (in a bag, not frozen into a brick)
-1/4 tsp white pepper
-pinch nutmeg
-salt, to taste
-1/3 cup heavy cream
-black pepper for garnish

Method:

1. Trim root ends and tough, dark green tops from leeks, slice and separate layers and drop into a bowl of water to wash away any grit. Prep kale by removing stems from leaves and chopping the leaves into ribbons.

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and cook leeks until tender. Add chopped kale and cook until soft.

3. Add chicken broth, spinach, white pepper and nutmeg. Use an immersion blender (or transfer to a normal blender) and blend until smooth. Taste and add salt as needed.

4. Finish soup with cream and serve. Garnish bowls with black pepper if you like.