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Garden Greens Soup

A soup that looks and tastes garden-fresh, this is a good one to serve all summer long.

Cooks' Note

If using baby spinach, simply rinse it and pull off any stems that you find too long; no need to chop the leaves.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

1/3 cup raw couscous, preferably whole-grain
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes, or other stock option (page 9)
1/2 small head napa or savoy cabbage, thinly shredded
5 to 6 ounces fresh spinach, well washed, stemmed, and chopped (see Note)
2 cups shredded lettuce, any dark green variety
2 medium tomatoes, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon good-quality curry powder
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the couscous in a heatproof container and cover with 2/3 cup boiling water. Cover and let stand until needed.

    Step 2

    Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté over medium-low heat until the onions are golden.

    Step 3

    Add the remaining ingredients except the salt and pepper. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.

    Step 4

    Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked couscous. Adjust the consistency with about 2 cups water, more or less as needed, to give the soup a dense but not overly crowded consistency.

    Step 5

    Season with salt and pepper, then allow the soup to cool to room temperature and serve.

  2. Nutrition Information

    Step 6

    Per serving:

    Step 7

    Calories: 118

    Step 8

    Total fat: 5g

    Step 9

    Protein: 4g

    Step 10

    Fiber: 0g

    Step 11

    Carbohydrate: 17g

    Step 12

    Cholesterol: 0mg

    Step 13

    Sodium: 84mg

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