Mysty PfefferThe weather is changing with cooler nights and breezy no humid days! It’s time to do my happy dance. Fall weather is also the time to make soups. A creamy asparagus and squash soup is on my mind so I can load up on some nutrition and antioxidants.
Benefits of Asparagus & Squash Soup
Asparagus helps fight the big buzz word INFLMATION, it’s rich in anthocyanins that reduce this pesky irritant to our cells. It also protects the lining of our blood vessels, and our joints. Asparagus protects liver cells from toxic substances too. (1) It’s also carrying some significant anti-cancer properties! (2) I’ll take all the protection I can get in this battle for life in our environment of pesticides, fertilizers, irritants, pollutants, colorings, flavorings, and preservatives.
All the more reason to avoid the canned and boxed soup mixes and make your own. We are harvesting potatoes and a few summer squash this week too. So, I came up with a no dairy, simply creamy asparagus and squash soup from our garden to you. The best part is, it can be ready in 30 minutes.
Creamy Asparagus & Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Medium Organic Potatoes
- 1 Small Onion, chopped
- 2 Stalks Celery, chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
- 1 Bundle Fresh Chopped Asparagus
- 1 Medium Yellow Squash, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. Fresh Oregano (1 if dried)
- 2 Tsp. Onion Powder
- 1 Tsp. Salt and Pepper to your taste
- 2 Cups Unsweetened Almond Milk (or milk of your choice)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot place your washed, peeled and chopped organic potatoes. Cover with four cups of water and bring them to a boil, then add the onions, garlic, and celery.
- Keep an eye on the water level, I add a cup here and there as it boils down and the vegetables become tender. So, I added at least 2 more cups of water. Once the vegetables were tender (about 20 min on med/high) I mashed the potatoes and added the spices.
- Now, you're ready to add your chopped asparagus, yellow squash, and almond milk. Simmer another 10 minutes until these are just tender, (I like mine to remain a little crisp, but you do what you like).
Nutrition
You’ll have over 40% of your RDA of B6, natural folate, and Vitamin K1, over 20% of your vitamin C, E, and B1, while getting a good start to over 15% of RDA for magnesium, selenium, and calcium. Therefore, I hope you enjoy it alongside your cool fall weather this week!
Devotion/ Spiritual Food
I am forever impressed with God’s goodness and provision for us in the garden! Every time I look at the amazing benefits of what He placed in food I think about His mighty love and thoughtfulness. He also provided a way for us spiritually in the presence of his son, Jesus. He says,
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
John 6:63-64 ESV
The metaphor in John chapter six that Jesus is describing to his disciples is the one of himself being the bread and body coming down from heaven. He will offer himself as a living sacrifice for all mankind. Of course, they are not partaking physically of his flesh, but understanding and internalizing the concepts of believing He is fully God and fully man. It was hard for the people of Jesus’ day and in ours. I pray all doubt is erased as we are encouraged by the amazing proof of His love through the properties of food. Moreover, the evidence of Him in creation and through His Son, Jesus.
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References:
- Effects of Asparagus officinalis extracts on liver cell toxicity and ethanol metabolism – PubMed (nih.gov)
Kim BY, Cui ZG, Lee SR, Kim SJ, Kang HK, Lee YK, Park DB. Effects of Asparagus officinalis extracts on liver cell toxicity and ethanol metabolism. J Food Sci. 2009 Sep;74(7):H204-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01263.x. PMID: 19895471. - Antiproliferative effects of extracts from Salvia officinalis L. and Saliva miltiorrhiza Bunge on hepatocellular carcinoma cells – PubMed (nih.gov)
Jiang Y, Zhang L, Rupasinghe HP. Antiproliferative effects of extracts from Salvia officinalis L. and Saliva miltiorrhiza Bunge on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Biomed Pharmacother. 2017 Jan;85:57-67. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2016.11.113. Epub 2016 Dec 5. PMID: 27930987.
