Hi friends. I know, it’s been a while. I haven’t been in the kitchen a lot lately. I had minor surgery on my left hand (fortunately I’m right-handed) so I wasn’t able to do much cooking. The healing process has gone very well so I’ve been slowly getting back into my cooking groove, more and more each day!

Although I missed cooking, I must admit the break has been nice. It’s allowed me time to think, rest and find inspiration in unexpected places. In other words, its been a nice vacation.

I’ve been thinking about our Healthy Lifestyle Challenge earlier this year and would like to challenge you to join me for another one. Are you with me?! If you’re unfamiliar with the last Challenge, please be sure to view the link. We had a great group of people from all around the world for the last challenge and I’m looking forward to another fantastic and energetic group this time. If you didn’t get a chance to join us last time, here’s another chance!

Our next Challenge will be similar to the last one in that we’ll encourage healthy lifestyle habits like eating well, exercise, drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep every day. But there will be a few exciting changes/challenges that are sure to take us to another level of healthful living! The Challenge will last four weeks and October 12th is the tentative start date!

Stay tuned because I’ll post more details soon. Until then, think about how great you’ll feel when you make small, but significant lifestyle habits that have been proven to promote health and happiness.  Think about joining PWC’s next Healthy Lifestyle Challenge. You won’t regret it. Won’t you join me?! Let me know! If you have any questions, please leave a note in the comment section below.

Smooth and creamy, this soup is simple, healthy and very tasty. From preparation to serving, it should take less than 45 minutes to make. Feel free to try different toppings—garlicky croutons would taste fabulous!

Green Velvet Soup
Adapted from Ricardo Cuisine

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 cups vegetable broth
4 cups celery, chopped*
1 potato, peeled and diced
4 cups fresh spinach
salt and freshly ground pepper

Optional toppings
micro greens
avocado, sliced
garlicky croutons
olive oil, drizzled

In a large pot, heat olive oil under medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and stir another minute or two. Add vegetable broth, celery, potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and carefully add soup in a high speed blender. Add spinach and purée until smooth. You may need to do this step in batches. Return to pot and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. If you don’t have a high speed blender, you might want to pass the soup through a fine mesh sieve.

Note: Celery stems can be a bit fibrous and slightly bitter. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the celery first, before chopping, if you’d prefer. Otherwise, don’t bother.