Inquire into the recesses of your fridge and you may discover an assortment of overlook-able goods. I found radishes, kale, beets, and a bag each of spinach and mixed greens. In the pantry, two wan potatoes. The greens had some slimy bits, but once picked over and rinsed they were more than good enough. I’m too depressed about the state of the world to be throwing away perfectly edible food.

I set aside the beets (to make borscht) and radishes (to pickle) and kale (to stir-fry with garlic.) What I was craving was a mild, blended soup that would use up all the watery greens. So I sautéed an onion, two ribs of celery, and two carrots in olive oil in my Instant Pot until soft. I smashed two cloves of garlic between the flat of my knife and the cutting board to remove the skins and added those to the pot. Then about 6 cups of water and a tablespoon of vegetable stock bullion paste. And a can of drained white beans. I closed the lid and pressed the Soup button (bring to a boil and then simmer if using a regular pot on the stove.)

Once the soup tasted good and all the vegetables were soft, I added the spinach and mixed greens and stirred to thoroughly wilt them. Added some salt and Italian seasoning. Then used my hand blender to smooth it out. We ate the soup with parmesan grated on top and, for me, a lot of pepper. And bread and butter, of course.

I realized, after reading the first draft, that I didn’t mention how the soup tasted. Laughing at myself a bit, I’m back to say that 83% of my household loved it — which is high praise. Using only the lighter greens (spinach, mixed greens, romaine) not their stronger siblings (kale, chard, arugula, collards) keeps the flavor lighter, makes cook time shorter, and the texture smoother. On a day when chewing feels like too much work, this type of soup finds its moment.

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