Nutritionist Series: A Healthier Soup Recipe

My favourite kitchen toy is my hand blender. There is nothing easier or more satisfying than a pot of vegetables whirled together into a smooth, brightly colored soup.  In the spirit of going green for Earth Day, try this amazing quick “green” soup recipe.


2 tsp (10ml) canola oil
1 onion onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups (1L) low sodium vegetable stock
1 large bunch organic kale, stems removed
1/4 lb  (125g) spinach
1/4 cup (39g) Peanut or almond butter    
freshly ground black pepper


Sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until onions are transparent. Add vegetable stock and kale leaves. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until kale leaves are tender. Add spinach and cook for an additional 2 minutes. To finish soup, add almond butter then puree soup using a hand blender or transfer to a food processor.  The almond butter provides texture, flavour, and a healthy fat source to help in the absorption of nutrients!

The dark green vegetables in this soup provide iron and folate, important for women’s health, as well as many disease fighting phytochemicals. On the Eco front, make this soup greener by choosing organically grown produce. Food that has been grown without pesticides is healthier for you and the earth. If organic is too expensive, try to avoid the worst offenders and check your grocer or farmer's market for locally grown varieties of those ingredients. Check out this guide of the worst offenders created by the Environmental Working group based on data from the USDA and FDA.

Soup as a menu component has other healthy benefits:  a study published in the Journal of Appetite found that consuming soup before a meal reduced the number of calories subjects consumed by 20%. By decreasing the total number of calories that you are eating, and still feeling satisfied, you’re increasing your chances for maintaining a healthy weight. Homemade soups are also generally lower in sodium and preservatives than store bought soups.

By: Kate Comeau