Summer Potato Soup

This is another kid-friendly soup that makes mama happy with all kinds of “goodness” hidden inside. This pureed number sports new potatoes, onions, garlic, zucchini and carrots that all help to nourish the body: low-fat, high protein, high fiber, vitamin packed. But who cares about all that after a week of trips to the old-fashioned candy store, all-you-can-eat Oreos, and making faces on Ritz crackers with Easy Cheese? Watching the boy scarf down two bowls of the soup without a single complaint makes me think his body was in need of nutrients after the “Up North at the Cabin” binge.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 large red onion, diced
• 8 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 pounds red potatoes, diced
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into chunks
• water to cover potatoes
• 6-8 small carrots
• 2 cups large lima beans, pre-cooked
• 2 cups garbanzo beans, pre-cooked
• 2 tsp. salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• pinch hot pepper flakes

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a stock pot. Add onions and saute on a low heat until they begin to brown. Add garlic and cook for a minute – remember, don’t let it burn! Add diced potatoes and fill the pot with enough water to just cover them. Bring the water to a boil, and cook the potatoes until they are just tender. Add the zucchini and cook for a few minutes.

Puree the onion, garlic, potato and zucchini with an immersion blender or a standard blender. I used a standard because I wanted it finely pureed. (Max doesn’t like potatoes or zucchini!) You may need to do the blending in two batches.

Return the puree to the stock pot and add the carrots. Heat on a low simmer until the carrots are cooked. Add the pre-cooked garbanzo and lima beans to the mix. Season with salt, pepper and pepper flakes.

Note: This soup was garnished with an herb chimichurri that I made with a handful of fresh herbs, a the juice of one lemon, about 1/4 cup olive oil, a clove of garlic and salt and pepper.