This is my absolute favorite puréed soup that I tried before the day of surgery, and I loved it so much that I made sure to have a container in my fridge and one in my freezer. I looked forward to having this after surgery. It's vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and I believe allergy-free. I tested it on one of my athletic friends who is a meat-eater but has many different food allergies, and even he said it was super delicious. Don't be afraid of using fresh mint—it won’t taste like toothpaste, but instead adds a delicate brightness to the soup that is absolutely essential for its flavor profile. As the name suggests, it can be eaten cold, and it tastes great that way, giving me some versatility of temperature for my first real meal after surgery.
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb asparagus
- 16 oz chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
- 1 small package fresh mint leaves
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 large shallot
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp virgin coconut oil
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Wash the asparagus, cut off the woody ends, and cut the remaining pieces into 1-inch segments. Transfer to a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 12 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Trim, peel, and mince both the shallot and garlic cloves, and place in a small bowl.
- Wash and dry the mint leaves, pick them off the stems (discard stems), and finely mince the leaves. Place them in a separate small bowl.
- Heat a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Add the coconut oil. Once the pot is hot, add the shallots and garlic. Cook until the shallots are translucent, stirring frequently (about 3 to 5 minutes).
- Add the mint to the pot and stir for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add 2 cups of broth and 2 cups of frozen peas. Increase the heat to high until the mixture boils, then reduce the temperature to medium and cook until the peas are soft (5-6 minutes). Remove from heat.
- Place the roasted asparagus and coconut milk in a blender. Add the contents of the pot and purée until smooth. You can heat the soup through, but don’t let it boil if you want to enjoy it warm. Alternatively, place it in the fridge to cool completely and eat it cold.
The bright green color of this soup was really enticing for me—it reminded me of the unusual color of my best friend’s eyes. Once my stitches were out and I could eat more solid foods, I added shrimp sautéed in butter or coconut oil on