The perfect bowl of nourishment, this creamy spinach and basil soup makes you all  warm and cozy while keeping the calories in check. Quick and easy, this recipe provides the much needed comfort on a chilly autumn/winter night.

Portions:

Serve with warm bread or/and croutons and enjoy a filling meal for two. Great for three/ four as a starter with croutons/ crispy bacon bits/ a dollop of creamy cheese/ creme fraiche/ crispy fried onions/ shaved Parmesan/herbs/ chili flakes, just about any toppings/garnish you like…

Effort:

Quick and easy! A blender or a food processor does most of the work.

Ingredients:

300 grams of potatoes, chopped in 1 inch pieces

Water to boil the potatoes.

About 1 tsp of salt for the boiling water.

1/2 tsp of salt to use later as seasoning; adjust to taste. Do account for any savory toppings you might want to use.

250-300 grams of spinach, leaves left whole

3-4 basil leaves; a few more if you like

2 cups of very cold water

2 tsp olive oil

2 cloves for garlic, sliced finely

0.25 – 0.5 tsp of finely ground pepper

1/3 cup of milk/single cream/ half and half, I like to use whole milk in soups

1 tsp of butter (optional but recommended during winters)

1/4 tsp of lemon juice; more if you prefer (optional but recommended during summers)

Instructions:

Place a deep pot on high heat, add the pieces of potatoes, salt and enough water to submerge the potatoes.

Place a lid on the pot and bring it all to a boil.

Once the liquid starts boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender enough to mash.

With a ladle, fish out the potato and set aside.

Discard most of the boiling water reserving about 1/4 of a cup in the pot (just enough to wilt the greens) and place it back on medium-high heat. I like to use just enough water to cook greens. I feel that by cooking greens/ tender vegetables in a lot of boiling water and then draining it, we lose a lot of the nutrients in the vegetables.

Add in the spinach and the basil and place the lid for 2 minutes.

Lift the lid and stir/ toss the spinach and the basil ensuring all of the leaves get a chance to wilt.

Place the lid back on and let it boil for 1 more minute or until the leaves wilt.

Now tilt the pot in the jug of a blender/ food processor and pour in the cold water.

Give a minute for the temperature to drop, add in the potatoes and blend until creamy.

Now, place a dry pot in medium heat, add the oil and the thinly sliced garlic.

As the oil heats up and becomes beautifully aromatic, pour in the blended spinach, basil and the potato ensuring you don’t leave any of it behind in the jug. You want all of the good stuff in the pot.

Add the milk/cream/half and half and stir to combine.

Place the lid on and let it simmer until the desired consistency is achieved.

Season with salt and pepper, add in the butter or/and lemon juice if you choose to use them.

Stir to combine and simmer for another 20-30 seconds.

Turn the heat off and place the lid back on to ensure that the soup is nice and warm when you are ready to eat 🙂