Spinach and Garlic Soup [ Dairy free, Grain free, Gluten free, Sugar free]

I felt seriously kitchen deprived while on a family outing on this leisurely Workers' Day public holiday - a day filled with glorious sunshine and fun with the family at the Lion Park in North West Johannesburg - despite power-mixing the ingredients for and baking Garlic rolls early this morning!  My prepared meal stocks were replenished during my kitchen escapades earlier this week and I had no reason to cook, other than being bored and my love of cooking - oh, and the supply of fresh baby spinach. So while my boys were all up to their boy-man gadgety stuff this evening, I caved in to my desire to cook!

I found a recipe for a spinach soup earlier last week in one of my cookbooks and it was a "bare" soup that had chicken bone broth, spinach, garlic and avocado in it's ingredients.  Using this, I zhooshed up the ingredients to add a bit of wholesomeness to what was an ok recipe.  Onion, even a small amount always adds depth to a soup, slow sautéed with garlic and ghee brings through an amazing flavour and taste.  The avocado thickens the soup to a creamy consistency and adds to the flavouring.

This soup is quick and easy to make and the spinach is quickly blanched in the broth mixture to retain it's freshness, colour and nutritional value.


Ingredients

1-2 tblsp ghee, grassfed butter or coconut oil
2-3 cloves garlic smashed
quarter of a large onion roughly chopped
200g or 3 packed cups spinach (I used baby spinach)
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 - 1 avocado
Freshly ground Himalayan salt and black pepper to taste
I added a fresh green chilli for pungency

To Garnish (Optional)
Full fat preservative and sugar free coconut milk
finely chopped chives


Here's How

Melt the ghee or coconut oil in a medium sized pot over a medium heat setting.

Add the smashed garlic cloves and onions (I also added half a teaspoon of cumin seeds) to the pot and cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic begins to brown.

Add in the stock and bring the pot contents to a simmer.

Add the spinach to the pot and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the spinach begins to wilt.

Remove the pot from the stove top and allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer the soup to a blender in 2 batches, pouring half the soup and adding half the avocado at a time.

Blend each half of the soup with the avocado, then recombine in the original pot and whisk the mixture together.  Season to taste with freshly milled salt and pepper.

Garnish with the coconut milk and the chives just before serving.  The Garlic rolls will make a good mate to this soup, using the crispy crusts as croutons!