Meatless Mondays: Asparagus, Broccoli, and Spinach Soup

A very long time ago, while watching Rachael Ray, I heard her say to save the woody ends of asparagus instead of throwing them away because they can be made into soups. I remembered this little tip while I was making Marinated Asparagus, Tomatoes, and Hearts of Palm the other day.

I scoured the internet looking for recipes for asparagus soup using the leftover parts of asparagus, but every singe recipe called for whole asparagus.

 I decided to go for it anyway and threw in spinach and broccoli because I had those on hand and knew it would bulk up the nutritional value and flavor of the soup. I used vegetable soup as the base but used a little half and half to make it more velvety and creamy. Shredded parmesan cheese added in at the end made the soup richer. This soup is uber healthy and chock full of veggies. I hope you'll give a try the next time you have asparagus ends and if you do, please let me know what you think!

Asparagus, Broccoli, and Spinach Soup
An Ashley's Cooking Adventures Original
Printable Version


Ingredients
1 pound of the leftover woody ends of asparagus
1 cup spinach (frozen or fresh)
1 cup broccoli (frozen or fresh)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup halt and half
2 tablespoons garlic
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


Directions
In a dutch oven or large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a slow boil. Add the asparagus and broccoli to the pot and cook for about five minutes. Add in the spinach and cook two minutes more. Stir in the garlic. Take the pot off the heat and with a hand blender, slowly begin to puree the vegetables until only a few small chunks remain (or to your desired consistency).

Add in the lemon juice and half and half. Stir in Parmesan cheese until combined, then season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and sour cream if desired (this was my hubby's touch).