Serve this beautiful soup chilled as a first course or for a light lunch or supper. It is creamy, rich and slightly sweet—and a good source of calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, E and C and many phytonutrients.
Ingredients 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen shelled edamame
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups water
2 cups lower sodium chicken broth
1 haas avocado, peeled and seeded
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 ounces French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Instructions Bring 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil in a 6-quart saucepan over high heat. Add the edamame, return to a boil and cook until tender, 10 minutes; drain and reserve. Return the saucepan to the stove and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic; cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Pour in the water, broth, and reserved edamame and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until edamame are very tender. Remove from the heat and cool 10 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender with the avocado in 2-3 batches until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the juice, salt and pepper; mix well. Refrigerate the soup until well chilled, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, Preheat the oven to 400F. Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden and crisp, 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and cook 10 minutes. Divide soup among 6 bowls and top each with some of the croutons.
Notes Makes 6 servings
Nutritional analysis per serving: 205 calories, 10 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat