Asparagus Basil Soup with Herbed Goat Cheese

I had the TV on in the background the other day while my son was taking his nap and I was cleaning up some of the toys.  Giada was showing how to make this asparagus soup, and it looked so good, I went out that afternoon and picked up all the ingredients.  We had it with our dinner and let me tell you, it was so delicious!  If you like asparagus, you will flip for how great this tastes and how fast it comes together.  I didn't really have to alter it either to make it processed free, so that was a bonus.  Here it is.

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (or use coconut oil, which might be my first choice)

1 leak (white and light green parts only) thinly sliced

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 lbs. fresh asparagus (trim the woody ends off and chop into 1 inch pieces)

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

4 oz. (1/2 cup) goat cheese

2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

Once you have cut your leaks, put them in a bowl of water and swish them around with your fingers.  This will clean them because they tend to be sandy and no one wants to eat that.  In a large pot, heat the butter or oil.  Add the leaks (not the water) and stir until they have softened - it will only take a few minutes.  Add the broth, asparagus and basil with a little salt and pepper.  Bring it to a boil then reduce it to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes or so - you want the asparagus to be tender.  Use an immersion blender to blend it right in the pot until it's smooth.  I love my immersion blender and would never be without one!  You could also ladle in small batches into a blender and blend it that way too.  Then return it to the pot and keep it on low until you are ready to serve.  Don't forget to give it another taste to see if it needs anymore salt.

I mixed up the goat cheese, basil, and salt and pepper while it was simmering.  Just combine them in a small bowl and when the soup is done, scoop out a small spoonful and place the dollop in the middle each bowl of soup.  Giada used a cookie scoop and pre-scooped these, then put them in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.  Then she just grabbed one and placed it in the middle of the soup.  My thought was, I don't have time for that, so you get to scoop it yourself and add as much or as little as you want - don't complicate things. 

This was amazing, fresh, fast, and super healthy!  My husband raved about it and how fancy it looked.  I loved the added goat cheese and basil mixture, it gave it a great tang.  This will definitely be part of our regular dinner rotation when I can get asparagus on sale!  It made about 4 servings.