I've been in full-on spring mode the past week or so. I can tell this because of the shift I've felt with the ingredients I've been using in the kitchen, my yearning to be outside, and allergies.

All things spring!

Today’s post is sponsored by Imagine® Foods .

What I love most about spring (and fall) are that the nights still cool down enough to want to dive into a bowl of soup for dinner. You know, sweatshirt + jeans weather. My fav.

I'm over chili and stews but soup filled with greens? Most definitely yes.

It's also an excuse to eat more avocado toast. Because it never seems to get old.

This recipe starts off with a rich and creamy Potato Leek Soup that is organic, non-GMO, and dairy free. There's also one whole serving of vegetables in each cup before adding anything else to it. Imagine Foods is all about quality, and their products are always free of artificial ingredients + preservatives. I have been enjoying their soups and veggie broths for years now in my kitchen.

To jazz things up a bit we're packing in roasted potatoes, asparagus, dried herbs, and chard. But what really sets this soup apart is the addition of goat cheese. It makes for an even creamier soup with just a hint of tang that pairs especially well with the herbs.

Although the recipe list looks somewhat long, they're all very basic ingredients. If you don't have fresh herbs you can always use dried. Whatever works for you! I used chard in this soup, but any sturdy, leafy green will work (such as chard, kale, large-leaf spinach, broccoli greens, etc.).

It's like a kitchen sink soup. If you don't have one of the ingredients, I'm sure you have something else to fit in its place.

easy swaps:

collard greens for chard
2 tablespoons basil instead of 3 types of herbs
red potatoes or fingerling instead of yukon gold
feta instead of goat cheese
omit cheese to make vegan/dairy-free (but maybe add a squeeze of lemon for tang!)
use 3-4 tablespoons minced shallot instead of the onion + garlic

Print Recipe!

Veggie Loaded Potato Soup

gluten-free

1 1/4 cup 1/4-inch diced yukon gold potato
2 teaspoons melted ghee or avocado oil (or other high-heat oil)
1 cup chopped asparagus, ends trimmed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1, 32oz container Imagine Organic Creamy Potato Leek Soup
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
3-4 ounces goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped basil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups ribboned (or chopped) chard, stems removed
salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 425° F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

Once preheated, toss potatoes with the ghee and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes. Toss with asparagus and roast for another 10 minutes, until the asparagus is just tender.

While roasting, heat a large pot over medium heat with the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion an and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds - 1 minute until fragrant.

Stir in the potato soup and vegetable broth. Break apart 3 ounces of goat cheese and stir in with the basil, thyme, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil then let simmer for about 20 minutes, until flavorful and starting to thicken

Add in the potatoes, asparagus, and chard. Let simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Taste and add more smoked paprika, pepper, and/or salt if desired. Serve hot with croutons and extra goat cheese on top.

If this soup wasn't exciting enough, I have coupons to share!! Who doesn't love a $1 off coupon?

Kroger shopper? Find your coupon right here and download it to your Kroger Plus Card.
Not a Kroger shopper? No worries! You can print a $1 off coupon right from the Imagine website.

Ashley

Today’s post is sponsored by Imagine® Foods . Product opinions are always my own. If I didn’t love it, you wouldn’t hear about it.Thank you for supporting the occasional sponsored post that helps fund all the deliciousness you see here.

Well hello there!

Long time no talk.

Are you down for some minestrone soup today?

Minestrone Soup with Collard Greens + Black Eyed Peas | edibleperspective.com

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday and enjoyed at least one day off from the normal work routine. I’ve pretty much ignored my inbox and social media for the past week and it’s been glorious. A reboot of sorts. But that doesn’t mean I’ve been sitting around on the couch for a week. It means I’ve been tending to the things I’ve been ignoring for the better part of the year.

However, there’s also been ample couch time, a break from working out, and non-stop cooking eating. I don’t make cookies often because I cannot control myself.

Anywho.

Minestrone Soup with Collard Greens + Black Eyed Peas | edibleperspective.com

I thought today would be a great day—as I sit here freezing in my office (coldest room in the house) while it’s snowing and 8° outside—to tell you about this soup recipe.

Minestrone soup has been on my “to make” list for at least a year now. I have no idea why I haven’t tackled it yet. It’s definitely one of the easiest soups ever. And on a recent post polling what you’d like to see more of here in 2015, many of you said, more SOUP!

So I figured I would close out 2014 with this huge batch of soup. Soul warming, flavorful and absolutely perfect with grilled cheese or avocado toast.

Minestrone Soup with Collard Greens + Black Eyed Peas | edibleperspective.com

I’ve given traditional minestrone soup a little New Year’s twist by adding collard greens and black eyed peas. You know, for good luck in the New Year! I have no idea where that tradition came from, but I absolutely love collards and will use any excuse I can to cook with them. They’re a hearty green that tenderize perfectly in this simple, tomato-broth. And speaking of the broth, I like mine extra tomato-ey. It’s kind of a cross between minestrone and tomato soup.

Minestrone Soup with Collard Greens + Black Eyed Peas | edibleperspective.com

Print Recipe!

adapted from here + here

Minestrone Soup with Collard Greens + Black Eyed Peas

gluten-free, vegan // yields ~14 cups, 6-8 servings

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 celery stick, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
5 cups no/low-sodium vegetable broth
1, 28oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, (or regular)
1, 15oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, (or regular)
2 cups ribbon-cut collard greens, (de-stemmed)
1, 15oz can black eyed peas, (sub chickpeas if desired)
1 1/4 cup gluten-free macaroni noodles
salt + pepper to taste
fresh parsley and parmesan cheese, (to top)

Heat a large pot (at least 5qt) over medium with the oil. Once hot, add in the onion with a big pinch of salt. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes and then add in the carrots and celery. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until starting to soften. Stir frequently. Add in the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds then stir in the basil and oregano.

Slowly pour in the broth and tomatoes. Stir in about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper (Total amount you need to add will vary on sodium levels in your broth. If using full sodium wait until the end to add more salt.). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Taste and add more salt and pepper to your liking.

Stir in the collards, beans, and noodles. Cook until noodles are slightly al dente, as they’ll continue to cook once taken off the heat. Taste and add more salt + pepper if desired. Serve with fresh parsley and freshly grated parmesan if desired. (Thenoodles soak up quite a bit of liquid. Add more broth if needed.)

Let soup cool before storing in the fridge for 5-6 days.

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Notes: If you can’t find or don’t want to use collards, lacinato (dino) kale would be a great replacement, or any other sturdy green. I don’t recommend spinach. If using gluten-free noodles, they will expand in the soup after refrigeration. They tend to fall apart after the initial cook as well.

Minestrone Soup with Collard Greens + Black Eyed Peas | edibleperspective.com

You might want to check back here on Dec 31 for the perfect New Year’s Day appetizer. Just a suggestion.

But in the meantime…

Looking for a few fun NYE recipes? You probably want to start off with these Cheesy Polenta Breadsticks and then check the list below for other ideas.