Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Pescatarian, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Description

We are huge advocates of getting more leafy greens into our diet, which makes this recipe ideal for consuming them in an easily digestible form.

I find that all of the ingredients tend to be cupboard staples for many, so you’ll always be able to whip up a serving of green goodness with a few simple ingredients you already have at home.

Whilst spinach is available all year round, the best time to buy it is during the Spring (March-June), when it’s in season. Spinach is part of the amaranthaceae family, a family full of nutritional powerhouse veggies.

This leafy vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamins K, A and C as well as folate and manganese. Vitamin K is vital for maintaining bone health and it is difficult to find many vegetables richer in vitamin K than spinach. Not only that, but spinach is also rich in antioxidants which can help to prevent cellular damage in our bodies.

Attention, skincare lovers! Two observational studies have shown that having a diet rich in vitamin C has been associated with better skin appearance, with a lower prevalence of dry and wrinkled skin (this is independent of known skin-aging factors such as age, sun exposure, and menopausal status) (Cosgrove et al. 2007) (Purba et al. 2001). So consuming more skin-loving spinach (which is vitamin C rich) could be a key step towards radiant and glowing skin. This is likely due to the way in which vitamin C regulates collagen synthesis (the main structural protein that is present in our skin) (Peterkofsky, 1991).

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp coconut oil
• 200g spinach (washed)
• 1 small white potato (peeled & chopped)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 2 cloves of garlic (diced)
• 1 pint of vegetable stock (check the label if you have an allergy or intolerance)
• 1 pint filtered water
• 100ml coconut milk or 1 tbsp coconut yoghurt, plus a little extra to serve (optional if you would like the soup to be more creamy)

Method

1. In a large saucepan, heat up the coconut oil, then add and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes on a medium heat.
2. Add in the chopped potato, spinach, vegetable stock, water and coconut milk or yoghurt (if using). Place a lid over the pan and bring to the boil until the chopped potato becomes tender.
3. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a blender and blend until smooth. Then it’s ready to serve. If you like, you can add a small spoonful of coconut yoghurt.

References:

Cosgrove, M. Franco, O. Granger, S. et al. (2007). ‘Dietary Nutrient Intakes and Skin-aging Appearance Among Middle-Ages American Women’, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86, (4) pp. 1225-1231, NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/86/4/1225/4649573 (Accessed: 10 August 2018).

Peterkofsky, B. (1991). ‘Ascorbate Requirement for Hydroxylation and Secretion of Procollagen: Relationship to Inhibition of Collagen Synthesis in Scurvy’, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 54 (6), pp. 1135-1140, NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1720597 (Accessed: 10 August 2018).

Purba, M.B. Kouris-Blazos, A. Wattanapenpaiboon, N. et al. (2001). ‘Skin Wrinkling: Can Food Make a Difference?’, The Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 20 (1), pp. 71-80 NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11293471 (Accessed: 10 August 2018).