Raw Spinach Bisque

Raise your hand if you're not trying to squeeze every last cent from your dollar in this crippled American economy. We're always on the lookout for a bargain, and occasionally that penny-pinching combines with poor planning and we wind up with, say, a box of spinach the size of a small child.

Adam and I have competing food-related phobias. A Recovering Catholic, he subconsciously fears Burning Eternally in a Lake of Fire for throwing away food that could feed starving African children.  I'm deathly afraid of rotting food and prone to junking vegetables that show the slightest sign of wilting.  Living with a rescued bachelor means sometimes things stay in the fridge a little past their prime. Everyone has probably either practiced the bachelor's "sniff-test", or watched in mild horror as someone else did. You know it; the one given to already-worn clothes, and milk that expired last week. I admit to being over-cautious with food stores, and Adam has to find creative solutions to keep me from tossing out borderline veggies.

Every now and then, real genius emerges from his madness. As evidence, we submit this beautiful, flavorful, and vibrant raw spinach soup! Somewhere in the blending of spinach and cashews, air is whipped in, resulting in a luxuriously textured bisque. Creamy, deceptively rich, and wholly satisfying, this soup is delicious room temperature or cold.

Bon appetit!

Notes: 

• The photograph above is not the raw version (as it has yogurt and croutons) but the recipe below has 100% raw and vegan alternatives.
• This is probably not enough for a full meal, please make sure you serve this as an appetizer or side!
• If you're not used to eating raw food, keep in mind, this is a lot of raw spinach. Small portions are best!

Serves 4 small servings (appetizers) or 2 large
INGREDIENTS:

• 5 cups spinach, packed 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 3/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews (best soaked in water in the fridge overnight!
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to your taste)
• fresh cracked pepper
• Non-Raw/Non-Vegan Garnish: plain yogurt dollop, croutons baked with rosemary olive oil
• Vegan/Raw Garnish: puree 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes with 5 pitted kalamata olives

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pack all ingredients from spinach through water into blender or food processor. Process on high for 5-8 minutes until very smooth.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir and set aside.
3. Either prepare vegan/raw garnish or non-raw garnish. Dish soup into small bowls, garnish and serve!