Cream of Spinach Soup
Hi! Â I’m Cindy from Intentionally Eat! Â I used to eat junk food and drink 2 liters of soda a day, but I’ve changed my ways, lost 125 pounds and now, I’m all about healthy!
I’m here today to celebrate fall with a healthy version of Cream of Spinach Soup!
I originally wrote this recipe for my Geeky friend, Angie Pedersen of @kcgeeks, so you’ll see lots of references to Star Wars, but if you’re not a fan of the franchise I promise you will still like this soup.
So, what does Cream of Spinach Soup and Star Trek have in common?  Only that it was a favorite of Spock.  Well, I could be stretching it a little, I know Spock’s favorite was Plomeek soup.  However, I think if he would have tasted this variation of Barkaya Marak, he would approve.
This Cream of Spinach Soup is based on a soup called Barkaya Marak
Chekov thought Barkaya Marak tasted like cream of spinach, but knew that it was legume based, somewhat similar to a peanuty flavor. However for my version, I decided to go with a more traditional cream of spinach soup.
I know Spock was vegetarian since Vulcans are a non-violent species. Â In the episode, All Our Yesterdays, he admits to eating animal flesh and regrets it. Â As a vegan myself, I tend to think Spock was a vegan, too. Â I don’t believe he would approve of dairy products since it harms the animals that are forced to produce it. Â Hence, this soup variation is vegan and non-violent.
I like my soups a little on the thick side, so I happen to have leftover mashed potatoes and I threw them in. Â If you haven’t tried it, it works wonderfully. Â On a side note, mashed potatoes are particularly delish in a bean soup. Â If you don’t have any leftover mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower), then you can always use arrowroot powder to thicken it. Â I prefer arrowroot powder over cornstarch because it results in a clearer, shinier texture. Â If you decide to use dairy milk in this soup be sure to use cornstarch instead of arrowroot otherwise you will end up with gooey soup.
 Cream of Spinach Soup Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegan butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
8 oz frozen spinach or 2 cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups non-dairy milk (I used almond)
1 cup mashed potatoes (a great use for leftovers)
and/or 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste
Cream of Spinach Soup Directions
- In a pot melt vegan butter over medium heat.
- Saute onion for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute 1 minute.
- Add frozen or fresh spinach and saute for 2 -3 minutes
- Add vegetable broth and non-dairy milk. Â Cook for 15 minutes.
- Add mashed potatoes or mix 1/4 cup cold water with 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder and add to thicken the broth.
- If you want the soup to be a beautiful green color, blend.
- Season with apple cider vinegar, salt & pepper.
Serve warm. Â Top with vegan sour cream, vegan cheese, or croutons.
Tips: Â 1. I chose to remove half of the soup from the pot and blend it. Â Then I added it back to the pot. Â It gives it a bright green color, plus adds to the creaminess.
2. Â You can use dairy butter and milk, however keep in mind that it will add fat and cholesterol.
Live long and prosper! Â Enjoy and Intentionally Eat!
Great recipe, Cindy. Made this last night and it was fantastic. Loved it! -Joe
So glad you enjoyed it!