There’s something special about spring… The cold dark days of winter are slowly being forgotten and everything in nature starts to come out of hibernation. Our bodies naturally want to start moving, our brains feel the need to organize, and everything seems fresh and new.
These instincts make spring the most natural time of the year for new beginnings, including a move towards eating lighter meals that rejuvenate our body, mind, and soul. My asparagus leek soup is the perfect way to kick off spring with some lighter, healthy eats.
If you’re starting a spring whole foods cleanse be sure to add this recipe to your detox arsenal. Full of light fresh produce, this soup is simple yet satisfying.
That’s right, there’s no BS in this soup, just nutrient-dense ingredients. Asparagus and leeks are high in fibre, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and vitamins A, K and C.
With plenty of soluble fibre to help sweep out excess fat, sugars, bacteria, and toxins from our bodies, leeks and asparagus are a natural go-to for detox and cleansing regimens. They also contain a healthy dose of the nutrient inulin, which helps to feed the good bacteria in our large intestine.
A soup that promotes healthy gut flora and detoxification? Count me in!
Leeks are also known to help boost your metabolism. Thanks to our dear friend fibre, which extends the amount of time it takes for digestion to happen, you’ll be feeling fuller for longer. In addition to feeling full, a longer period of digestion gives our bodies more time to absorb beneficial nutrients that might otherwise be swept out of our GI tract too quickly.
To top off an already amazing amount of health benefits, leeks and asparagus are both powerhouses for fighting inflammation and oxidization. This means they help fend off disease caused by inflammation in the body (ex. heart and bowel disease) and they fight free-radicals that can cause a myriad of health problems including cancer.
If you plan to add this soup to your detox or cleanse I highly recommend using organic ingredients! Going organic during a cleanse is especially important because the whole point of a cleanse is to rid your body of toxins. Conventional produce is sprayed with chemicals, which means your food contains these chemicals, which means your eating chemicals, which means these chemicals accumulate in your body… Kinda the opposite of what a detox is intended to do.
I also recommend making your own veggie broth. Or use bone broth in place of vegetable stock for an even more nutrient-packed, gut-healing soup. And if you’re staying away from nut milk during your cleanse, feel free to omit it and replace it with more broth or water, your soup will be slightly less creamy but still delish.
Asparagus Leek Soup
Dairy-Free | Gluten-Free | Vegetarian | Vegan | Cleanse-Friendly
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Large Leeks, thinly sliced
1/2 Medium-Sized Onion, diced
1 Clove of Garlic
2 1/2 Cups Asparagus (300g), chopped into 2-inch long pieces (frozen works well too)
1 tsp. Garlic powder
2 Cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 Cup Non-Dairy Milk (almond/cashew/oat)
The juice of half a fresh lemon
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large soup pot. Add onions, leeks and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the onions turn translucent.
Add the chopped asparagus to the soup pot and saute for another 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic powder and stir to combine.
Pour the vegetable stock into the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the ingredients are cooked through.
Use an emersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth and creamy. You can also transfer the mixture into a normal blender, just be sure to let the soup cool before blending. (No one wants a hot soup explosion on their hands!) If you’re using a regular blender transfer the soup back into your pot.
Pour your choice of non-dairy milk into the soup along with the juice of half a lemon, stir well. Cover the soup and allow it to simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of hemp seeds. You can also top your soup with sunflower or radish sprouts, microgreens, green onion or chive flowers for an additional pop of flavour and hit of nutrients.
