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This Week In Food...Zesty Spinach Soup!

Here's a quick and easy soup that's as good in the summer as it is in the winter...and it's a great way to use up that spinach you got at the farmer's market last weekend and haven't yet used!

I don't know how you feel about the idea of spinach soup, but this soup tastes more like chicken broth, onion and potatoes than it does spinach-- which has a surprising mild flavor in soup, so don't worry about being overpowered by spinach flavor. The spinach does, however, make it a really pretty shade of green and packs an excellent health punch.

Trust me, this soup is so easy and so good, you really should give it a try...


Zesty Spinach Soup (from Cooking Light)
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 c. chopped onion (1 small onion)
2-4 c. vegetable broth
1 c. 1/2-inch diced Yukon gold potato (I just select a mid-sized potato and dice it-- cleaned, but skin on-- and throw the whole thing in...no need to really measure)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pkg fresh baby spinach (about 6 oz)
1/2 c. reduced fat sour cream, plus additional for topping
1 tsp lemon zest

Heat oil in large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and saute for about 3 mins. Add broth, potato, salt and pepper. Make sure broth covers potatoes completely. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 8 mins. or until potato is very tender, stirring occasionally. Add spinach, cover and cook 2 mins. or until spinach wilts. Place half of the soup and 1/4 c. sour cream in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into bowl and repeat with remainder of soup and another 1/4 c. sour cream. Pour into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream and 1/4 tsp of lemon zest sprinkled on top. (You can just zest your lemon right over the bowls...don't skip this step, though. The lemon zest adds the perfect, refreshing zip to the soup!)

Serve this with a nice crusty bread and maybe a side of fresh fruit or a small salad. (It's also good with lots of oyster crackers tossed in.) Enjoy!

And, as always, happy cooking!

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