Basic Green Soup

I find that when I travel or come through a holiday with a heavy focus on food, the following days require a bit of a reset. For me, that means refuelling with simple whole foods. Green smoothies and juices are a great way to reset, but as the weather cools, I want something a little warmer. This green soup fits the bill for sure. I like to make a nice big pot on Sunday to have on hand throughout the week for a simple lunch or snack.

1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
1 small or ½  medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
large bunch of kale, roughly chopped
large head of broccoli, chopped into florets
1 quart vegetable broth
3 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
toasted pumpkin seeds, roasted chickpeas or fresh herbs for garnish

In a medium sized pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat (alternatively, you can omit the olive oil all together and do a no-oil sauté).

Add the diced onions and sauté until they begin to brown.

Add the garlic, celery and bell pepper and continue to sauté until the vegetables have softened.

Next, throw in the kale and broccoli. Sauté until it the kale has wilted.

Add the vegetable broth, potatoes and salt. Add an additional 1/2 to 1 cup water to make sure the vegetables are covered in liquid.

Simmer until the potatoes are cooked tender.

Carefully, and in batches (it took me 2), purée the soup in a blender.

Return the soup to the pot. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.