This Creamy Minted Fresh English Pea Soup is a soul soothing bowl. Rustic texture, savory-sweet, mint-acented, fresh pea flavor - with nutty, peppery undertones. Totally creamy - yet totally soy free.
Dreamy & Greeny. I've blended steamed sweet spring peas with soaked raw almonds. This is an easy go-to recipe when you want something light and lovely - that makes you feel good. Vegan protein rich. You will need to soak some almonds ahead of time, but after you do that this can be made and served in mere minutes. Get my recipe and lets chat summer adventures!..
Next Stop Summertime. We were wandering around Westwood Village last night (yay Native Foods) and the usually sparsely trafficked weekday streets of Westwood were buzzing with activity. It was like a sea of students spilling over from the UCLA campus. The streets, coffee shops and restaurants were flooded with wide-eyed students - all with that finals-are-over glimmer in their eyes.
It had me feeling all summer fever-y myself. Maybe it is a weird memory thing that links back to my own school days when the end of May meant pure elation, excitement and giddiness for the freedom-infused days of summer that lied ahead. It was the best time of year, when school was ending and summer comes creeping around the corner.
But I don't have to be in school to still get charmed by the sweet mellow eyes of summertime. So many beach days, frosty smoothies, lazy afternoons and candy-colored sunsets yet to be enjoyed. Vacation plans, stay-cation adventures and maybe just a few extra hours a day to slow up on working and start something leisurely - a new hobby or wellness habit. Heck, an afternoon nap habit would make a fabulous summer hobby to try...
..Or maybe dive into that virtual pile of books you've already downloaded on your reading device. I have recently started reading (don't laugh) the Twilight saga books. Escape reading. I'm actually enjoying every page. I'm up to Eclipse and I want to have all the books read for the Breaking Dawn Part Two movie by fall. Oh no, did I really just admit that?
So whatever your summer plans may be I hope you have at least one crazy adventure on your vision board. Actually, I need to get around to making a new vision board. Some summer dreams for me.. A drive down or up the coast has been on my list for a while. Wine-tasting in Santa Barbara or Napa, hiking in Tahoe, another trip to Vegas, a boat ride to Catalina Island, another day at Disneyland, more beach bike riding in Santa Monica and Malibu, a few more vegan dining adventures here in LA (still need to go to Madeleine Bistro among others!) and more.. And I'm dying to take a last minute trip to Hawaii with my husband for our July wedding anniversary. We will see.
Now you. Spill it, what are you planning for this summer??
Fresh Almond Pea Soup + vision board making -- sounds like an awesome afternoon to me ..
Creamy Minted Fresh Pea Almond Soup
vegan, 3 servings
10 ounces English Peas, steamed**
½ cup raw almonds, soaked overnight/drained (you can add more for a thicker, nuttier soup)
1 cup purified water
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 sprigs mint leaves, chopped
1-3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
pepper to taste
optional ingredients: 1 teaspoon fresh or roasted garlic + a splash of truffle oil or olive oil
more add-ins: this recipe is very open for adding in fresh herbs, spices, sideline veggies like spinach, whatever you may be craving to accent your soup!
Nutritional Info (per serving - 3 servings total)
Calories: 180kcal, Fat: 8g, Carbs: 18g, Protein: 10g, Fiber: 8g
Vita A: 15%, Vita C: 63%, Calcium: 7%, Iron: 16%
*based on 2000 calorie diet
Rich in fiber, magnesium, manganese, protein, niacin, phosphorus, Vitamin C, riboflavin and thiamin.
**Peas. I used Trader Joe's fresh English Peas. The fresh peas have a super moist and perky texture - never mushy like frozen peas can get. This recipe works best with fresh, seasonal peas. But you can experiment with other varieties if needed.
Directions:
1. You will need to soak your raw almonds overnight in some salted water. Or for at least 4 hours to really get a creamy blend.
2. Drain almonds and add about ½ cup to your Vitamix blender (a food processor will also work).
3. Steam the peas until tender and warm - you want to put hot, just-cooked peas in the blender so that you can eat the soup right away without needing to reheat.
4. Add the peas, water, salt, mint and optional nutritional yeast to the blender. Start on low and blend until smooth and creamy. Add in more water if you like a thinner consistency. You can also add in a drizzle of oil if you'd like a richer soup.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve straight from the blender - warm. With some cristy bread and a mint garnish.
cheers to summer dreaming.
