This has been a long time favorite soup of mine for years despite that it may not look that appetizing in color. The best part is it’s so simple to make. I often leave out the asparagus tips and just puree the entire soup. Mainly because I love to sip this in a mug as a mid-day snack or with my lunch.
I’ve been cleansing for a few weeks and this is the perfect soup for it! Did you know that asparagus is a vegetable that is a great cleanser for your body naturally? Yes it is! It is a great diuretic, helping in the cleansing process and lifting the detox load of the liver and kidneys.
Here’s some great health benefits from this beautiful spring vegetable:
- It’s a rich source of glutathione, a detoxifying compound that helps break down carcinogens and other harmful compounds like free radicals. This is why eating asparagus may help protect against and fight certain forms of cancer, such as bone, breast, colon, larynx and lung cancers.
- Helps slow down the aging process due to it’s high antioxidant properties and neutralizing cell-damaging radicals.
- It contains the amino acid asparagine which is a natural diuretic, and increased urination not only releases fluid but helps rid the body of excess salts. Good for edema and high blood pressure!
- It contains vitamins A, C, E and K as well as has lots of fiber, folate and chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.
Asparagus contains asparagusic acid, among other compounds, that gives urine that unique odor. Have you ever noticed it? It literally can happen within 15 minutes of eating it. Its compounds are volatile and released as a vapor through the urine. However, apparently not everyone can smell it and that is because everyones sense of smell is unique to themselves as well as the ability to produce the odor. Interesting!!
Okay, enough about asparagus pee ~ eat asparagus because it so good for you!
Creamy Asparagus Soup
2 lbs of asparagus (trim tough ends, cut in 2” pieces) (extra if you want to add some asparagus tips at the end)
4 cups organic vegetable stock (32 oz con’t – such as Saffron Road or Nature’s Promise)
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced.
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Himalayan pink salt
fresh cracked pepper
Sauté onion in extra virgin olive oil, add garlic & asparagus and add vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer until soft.
Take asparagus out with a slotted spoon and add stock (a little at a time) to blend in high speed blender or regular blender until smooth and creamy (you may not need all the stock depending on the consistency you prefer (reserve juice and drink it up in a mug if you want). Add Himilayan pink salt (about 1+ tsp) and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Enjoy!
If you are adding asparagus tips to your soup, blanch them for just about 30 seconds (add to already boiling water, than in ice cold water to retain color, remove with slotted spoon). Add them to your soup before eating.
If you tolerate dairy, you may add a dollup of organic plain yogurt to the mix while blending for added flavor but it is perfect the way it is.
