Healthy creamy broccoli and spinach soup with ginger, basil and coconut yoghurt

Why we love this broccoli & spinach soup

What makes this more than just a green soup is how much nutritional variety you can get into one bowl. Broccoli, leafy greens, carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, herbs and seeds each bring something different to the table.

Broccoli is the star ingredient. Like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which can be converted into sulforaphane. This fascinating plant compound activates Nrf2, one of the body's important cellular defence pathways, and supports antioxidant and Phase II detoxification processes. Sulforaphane and other compounds found in cruciferous vegetables are also being studied for their role in supporting intestinal barrier integrity - another reason broccoli features so regularly in functional nutrition.

Spinach or kale adds folate, carotenoids and antioxidant plant compounds, while the carrots provide beta-carotene, which our bodies can convert into vitamin A. Vitamin A contributes to normal immune function, vision, growth and development, making colourful vegetables valuable for children as well as adults.

Then there is ginger, which you may recognise from our October Generation Superhealth newsletter. (Want more family-friendly nutrition inspiration? Join our monthly newsletter here.) Ginger has a long history of use for digestive support and has been particularly well studied for nausea and gastric function. Together with onion, garlic, lemongrass, basil and lime, it also adds another layer of plant diversity and gives the soup its fresh, warming flavour.

The yoghurt stirred through at the end makes the soup wonderfully creamy without needing cream. Choose a plain, unsweetened yoghurt containing live cultures if you'd like to bring fermented foods and live microorganisms into the meal. Remember to add it once the soup is off the boil so it stays smooth and doesn't split.

And don't treat the pumpkin seeds as decoration. They provide zinc and magnesium alongside healthy fats, fibre and plant protein. Zinc is particularly important for normal immune function, tissue repair and our normal sense of taste and smell.

This is the part of functional nutrition that we love: it's rarely about one magical ingredient. It's about food synergy and diversity - cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, colourful plants, herbs, spices, fermented foods and seeds all appearing in one very simple family meal.

And the practical benefit might be the best one of all: make a big pot for dinner and tomorrow's nourishing lunch is already waiting.

Will Children Enjoy It?

Every child is different, of course, but blended soups can be a useful way to offer familiar vegetables in a different texture.

We're not big fans of secretly “hiding” vegetables at Generation Superhealth Clinic, although sometimes it’s necessary. Instead, we prefer children to know what's in their food and experience vegetables prepared in lots of different ways. A child who isn't interested in steamed broccoli today might be much happier dipping bread into a creamy broccoli soup and that's another positive exposure.

For younger or more cautious eaters, you could serve a small amount alongside something they already know and enjoy rather than making the soup the whole meal.

A creamy broccoli and spinach soup with ginger, basil and coconut yoghurt. Packed with colourful vegetables and ready in around 30 minutes for an easy family meal.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 500 g broccoli, in florets

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 1 lemongrass stalk, cut into lengths

• two handfuls of spinach or kale

• a thumb of ginger, peeled and chopped

• 1.2 l water or stock

• 1 bunch thai basil, optional

• juice of 1 lime, optional

• salt

• 250 ml unsweetened coconut yoghurt or plain yoghurt

• sprouts, toasted pumpkin seeds or any seeds, to serve, optional

Method

1. Warm the coconut oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently until softened and fragrant.

2. Tip in the broccoli, carrots, lemongrass and ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Pour in the water or stock, followed by the basil and lime juice, if using, and a little sea salt. Add your spinach or kale and simmer for around 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

4. Once the vegetables are tender, take the pan off the heat and remove all the pieces of lemongrass. Stir through the yoghurt off the boil so it doesn't split, then blend with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a thinner soup, simply add a little more stock or water.

5. Stir in the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a little more lime if you'd like extra freshness, or a splash of water or stock if you prefer a thinner consistency. Serve topped with toasted pumpkin seeds or sprouts and, if you like, an extra wedge of lime on the side.

Swaps and substitute options

• No Thai basil? Regular basil works perfectly well.

• No lemongrass? Leave it out or add a strip of lime zest while the soup cooks, removing it before blending.

• You can use spinach or kale depending on what's in the fridge and coconut yoghurt can easily be replaced with plain unsweetened natural or Greek-style yoghurt.

• To turn it into a more substantial meal, serve it with something protein-rich alongside - perhaps boiled eggs, beans or lentils, leftover chicken, or a piece of good-quality bread with your favourite protein topping.

Generation Superhealth Clinic Tips

Take the soup off the heat before adding the yoghurt. Stirring the yoghurt through once the soup is no longer boiling helps keep it smooth and creamy rather than allowing it to split.

Don't forget the lemongrass. Remove it before blending. It's very fibrous and can leave unpleasant threads in an otherwise silky soup.

Make the toppings count. A handful of toasted pumpkin seeds adds lovely crunch as well as nutrients including zinc, magnesium, healthy fats and plant protein. For younger children, use ground pumpkin seeds where appropriate rather than whole seeds.

Cook once, eat twice. Keep a couple of portions in the fridge or freezer and you've already taken care of lunch on another busy day.