Green Juice Soup

Sometimes I see a recipe or make something and have a conviction that it’s a dish for someone I know.  Even if I’m not going to see him or her, I know that s/he will enjoy this dish.  Sometimes it’s obvious based on people’s preferences (chocolate cookies for my chocolate-loving mother, pudding for my aunt), but sometimes it’s more obscure.

Green Juice Soup

16 ounce frozen peas, defrosted

2 cups baby carrots

5 cups water

1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon

2-inch piece lemon zest

2 1/2 tablespoons tahini

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 onion, sliced into half-moons

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon ground thyme

16 ounce bag frozen collard greens

2 cups shredded kale

2 cups water

Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)

In a food processor or blender, puree the peas, carrots, water, bouillon, lemon zest, and tahini until smooth.  In a 5-quart Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, stir, cover, and sweat until translucent, about 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a few more minutes.  Add the puree, collards, kale, and  2 cups water.  Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes or until greens are cooked.  Stir in the lemon juice, remove from the heat, and serve.  Makes about 4 quarts.

My parents gave me a Vitamix as a graduation present.  I’ve been making kale-fruit-ginger juices for breakfast every morning and serving it in these crystal pilsner glasses I found under the bar in our basement.  The Vitamix is so powerful (about 2 horsepower) that it makes juice, not smoothies, in under 30 seconds, while retaining all the fibre of the vegetables or fruit (not to sound like a sales pitch).  Kale-watermelon juice is my favourite so far.  I made my brother a kale-ginger-carrot juice to cure his summer cold last week, and it appeared to work since he sounded better the next day.

Using the Vitamix, my mom and I made the sunflower butter posted by Heidi at 101 Cookbooks.  Since we do not have an unlimited pantry staples budget, we used good ol’ McCormick vanilla extract in place of the crushed beans.  It’s magic butter.