Easy Spinach Soup + Rosemary Croutons

Easy!  Healthy!  Yummy!  

All things that I like to use to describe my rainy Monday foods, you know?  It's supposed to rain here for the next 6 days, and was 67 and sunny yesterday just to really drive the point home that we don't control the weather.  Mean weather.  

I'm always looking for new things to make for my veg-head husband, AND I'm always looking for things that keep well in the fridge to send with him for lunches.  This soup does BOTH, and is super delicious too.  

Plus.  Rosemary CROUTONS.  It has to happen - we need to balance out the healthy somehow, right?  

You need frozen spinach, garlic, butter, a lemon (just the zest, actually), stock, heavy cream, and rosemary bread.  Preferably leftover, preferably cut into cubes.  No rosemary bread?  Any kind you like, then.  

First, you'll want to microwave the spinach to thaw it, zest the lemon, and mince the garlic.  When the spinach has thawed wring it out in a kitchen towel.  We don't want too much spinach liquid in the soup!  

Then, add half the butter to a skillet with the bread cubes over low heat.  

Let the croutons toast slowly, stirring every once in awhile, until they're nice and crispy and golden.  Then set them aside!

While the croutons are working, make the soup.  Add the rest of the butter and the garlic to a pot over medium heat.  

Let the garlic sizzle for just a minute, then add the spinach and the lemon zest.  

Then add the stock.  

Stir everything together to combine, then use a blender or immersion blender to puree the soup until it's smooth - this takes awhile, so be patient!  

When the soup is pureed, return it to the heat to boil for just a minute or two, then stir in the cream.  Taste the soup, and add as much salt and pepper as you'd like - do this at the end especially if your stock has salt.  

Now, we top with those sexy croutons and go to town.  EASY.  

Healthy. 

Delicious. 

Monday.  

Enjoy!