Broccoli and Spinach Soup

It won't stop raining in San Francisco. I KNOW we need the rain and it's fantastic that we're getting so much of it because it will mean (hopefully) no water rationing in August, but every morning when I put on my rain boots and pull out my umbrella and head downstairs to wait for the bus all I want is the beautiful sunny days we had in January back. One good thing about the rain, however, is making soup. I'm learning that soup is really pretty easy. You can put just about anything in a pot with some chicken stock and call it soup.

I had some broccoli and spinach in the fridge to use, so the other night I decided to make some green soup. It turned out thinner than I wanted, but was still tasty and (other than the cream I added) fairly healthy.

Broccoli and Spinach Soup
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp garlic
5 cups broccoli florets
1 bag baby spinach
2 14 oz. cans low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

I sauteed the onion and garlic with some evoo. I poured in a couple cans of chicken stock and got it boiling. While the stock was heating I chopped the broccoli into smallish pieces (reserving about 1 cup) and added it to the pot. I threw in the spinach and let it cook down.

After 10 minutes or so of simmering, I threw it in the blender, being sure to make sure the little cap on the lid was removed so the steam could be released as I blended it. When it was blended I added the cream and the parmesan and a little salt and pepper and gave it another whirl. I transferred it back to the pot and added the reserved broccoli for some texture, cooking it for another few minutes and... Voila! SOUP!

I served the soup with some parmesan toasts and a healthy dose of black pepper. It was green and comforing and it kept me warm until the next morning when the bus was 10 minutes late and I had to run through Union Square to make it to work on time.... even good soup has it's limits.