Healthy Cream of Asparagus Soup

This is a healthy, delicious, and low-fat soup. It is also vegetarian (more specifically, vegan) and easy to prepare. The recipe is from "Conscious Cuisine: A New Style of Cooking from the Kitchens of Chef Cary Neff" based on the cuisine he developed while chef at Miraval Spa.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄3 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1  cup  diced yellow onion (about 1 large)
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped celery (about 1 medium rib)
• 4  cups  chopped peeled, asparagus (about 2 pounds)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  minced garlic
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  teaspoon fresh thyme
• 3  cups potatoes, diced and peeled
• 4  cups  vegetable stock
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  grated nutmeg
• 1  teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat a medium stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion, celery, and asparagus. Cook until the asparagus is bright green, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the bay leaf, thyme and potatoes. Add enough of the stock to cover the vegetables.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf.
3. Carefully ladle the soup into a blender and process until pureed and smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or colander lined with cheese cloth to remove any asparagus strings. Return the strained soup to a pan over low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and nutmeg, if desired. (Add a little more stock or water to give the soup a more creamy consistency if it seems too thick.).