Happy Monday everyone!

I am seriously feeling the time change today! It was a rough go getting out of bed this morning and I am already on my second cup of coffee. And, by the looks of it, it might be a 3 cup kind of day!

If you are feeling it too (really, how does ONE hour make SUCH a difference?!?) and might not be full of energy to make dinner tonight, I have the perfect, super easy, quick, and healthy meal for you!

I have been really into green soup lately, but I figured, it’s St. Patrick’s Day week, the more green the better!

There are so many great things about this soup. #1 almost all the cooking is done in the oven which means more time for you to relax/catch up on reading/do that work out video/etc. #2 there are so many vitamins and nutrients in this soup you can pat yourself on the back for a healthy meal (even if you didn’t do that work out video!) #3 it’s delicious – the roasted garlic adds so much flavor!

Broccoli. It’s so versatile. Sautee it, roast it, eat it raw, blend it in smoothies (try it!), boil it in soup. The possibilities are endless! FYI I am cracking my self up right now thinking of Bubba from Forrest Gump and his shrimp speech! :) Ok back to the soup…

Although broccoli is the base of this soup, what makes it really special is the roasted garlic. And there’s lots of it!

About 10 cloves to be exact. Now, if you are worried you might never be able to be in the vicinity of another able-nosed human being after eating this soup, don’t worry! Roasted garlic has lots of garlic flavor without the bite of raw garlic.

Pop 2 sheet pans in the oven. One with about a pound and a half or broccoli, and another with about 10 cloves of garlic and one large chopped onion. Drizzle both with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 for about 40 minutes. Half way through cooking toss the veggies so they cook evenly.

During the last 5 minutes of roasting, pull out the broccoli pan and heap 2 or 3 big handfuls of spinach on top.

Pop back in the oven and continue roasting for 5 minutes. If you don’t have spinach on hand you can omit this step, but blending the spinach with the broccoli adds some creamy texture (yep from spinach!) to the broccoli which can sometimes be a bit grainy.

When you are finished with that work out video roasting the veggies, put everything into a preheated soup pot. Add about 4 cups of chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5-10 minutes, until broccoli stems are very tender.

Time for the secret ingredient…the juice of one lemon. Lemon juice can work wonders with green vegetables. The flavor of the soup is entirely changed by this one small step. The lemon juice lightens and brightens up all the flavors of this soup. A $.50 miracle!

Using and immersion blender, puree the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Replace the lid and simmer an additional 5 minutes. I served mine with cheddar cheese, greek yogurt, and green onion, but you could also add croutons, chives, crostini, or even grilled cheese(my husband’s suggestion :) )!

If you need a quick and easy weeknight dinner…this is it! If you want a low calorie, packed with nutrients meal…this is it! If you need something green for St. Patrick’s Day…this is it! See, I told you broccoli was versatile! :)

Enjoy!!

Is the time change affecting you as much as it is affecting me???

Roasted Garlic and Broccoli Soup

  • 1 1/2 pounds broccoli
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2-3 big handfuls spinach
  • 4 cups chicken broth (preferably low sodium)
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Toppings: cheddar cheese, greek yogurt, green onion, croutons, etc.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare 2 sheet pans: one for broccoli and one for onions and garlic. Drizzle both with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring at least once during cooking. With abut 5 minutes left in roasting time, place 2-3 handfuls of spinach on top of broccoli and continue roasting. When veggies are roasted, pour everything into a preheated soup pot drizzled with olive oil. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until broccoli stems are very tender.  Squeeze in the juice of one lemon. Puree with an immersion blender until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover again with the lid and simmer 5-10 minutes. Serve hot with your choice of toppings.