The appealing green color of the green goddess soup comes from the generous amount of fresh parsley and fresh basil. It can be served cold in warmer weather or warm in the colder months. I often crave this soup in the early spring for a few reasons, but one is that the flavors remind me of my garden.
Using herbs and spices in your cooking offers a wide range of benefits, such as enhancing flavor by adding depth and complexity to food, and as a result less salt is needed to enhance the flavor of a dish. A diet high in sodium (salt) can negatively impact bone health. Herbs and spices are also rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties. Most herbs are delicate and lose their flavor if cooked for too long so add fresh herbs towards the end of the cooking process. The herbs in this recipe are added after the cooking process is completed.
Parsley and basil, have good calcium content and contain other vitamins and minerals needed for calcium absorption such as vitamin K and magnesium. Use the parsley leaves and softer stems. The harder stems can be saved and frozen for the next time you make a broth.
1 cup of fresh parsley = 83 mg of calcium
1 cup of fresh basil = 44 mg of calcium
Broccoli and kale are also good plant sources of calcium, vitamin K, and magnesium. The broccoli stems will take longer to cook than the florets.
1/2 cup of cooked kale = 180 mg of calcium
1 cup of cooked broccoli = 76 mg of calcium
White beans (can use Great Northern, Cannellini, or Navy) add fiber, protein, and calcium while giving the soup a fuller consistency. Canned beans are quick but can be high in sodium. Buying low sodium beans and rinsing them helps decrease the sodium content.
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