Creamy Asparagus Soup

For those of us in the southern hemisphere, it's spring. Spring means one of my favorite vegetables: asparagus. 

It's available for such a short time that I always feel the obligation to eat and freeze as much asparagus as I can. 

This soup is so simple and fresh, it's like springtime in a bowl.  

The lemon, parsley and just a little garlic really brighten the taste and keeps it from feeling too heavy. I pair it with slices of sausage, or grilled chicken or even a little parmesan cheese grated on top. 

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Creamy Asparagus Soup

Makes approx 8 servings at 1.5 cups each. I serving = 149 calories, 12 g fat, 8.5g carbs, 4g protein. Any toppings are additional. 

INGREDIENTS:

2 lb/1 kilo fresh, untrimmed Asparagus stalks (1 lb/.5 kilo if frozen) If using fresh asparagus, bend and break off the green stems where they naturally snap. Do not use thick, woody stems. 

5 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth. 

3 Tbsp Butter (divided)

1 tsp Sea Salt

2 tsp fresh Parsley (or 1 tsp dried Parsley)

1 tsp Granulated Garlic

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (or 1 Tbsp Lemon Zest)

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INSTRUCTIONS:
 

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. And onion and cook for 5 minutes or until translucent, stirring occasionally. 

While onion is cooking, prep, rinse and drain the asparagus. Add asparagus, salt parsley and garlic to the stockpot with the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

When asparagus is softened, add 5 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until asparagus is soft.

Turn off heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Using an immersion blender, pure the soup until completely uniform in texture (this can also be blended in batches using a countertop blender, but an immersion blender is a quicker method). Add cream, remaining 1 Tbsp butter and lemon. Stir to combine. 

Add more broth if the soup is too thick. 

Serve topped with shredded parmesan, fresh herbs such as thyme or chives, with sausage slices, strips of grilled chicken or beef.