Spring Lettuce and Leek Soup and Skinny Margaritas, Anti-Hurricane Potion

Hurricane season starts in two weeks! To help sublimate our fears, KP and I volunteered to help pass out 1,500 hurricane readiness pamphlets in our neighborhood, provided by Nola Ready. At this point, visit NOLA Ready and at least sign up for emergency alerts so you can panic at appropriate times. There are evacuation meeting points, etc, that are good to know now, especially if you have family members with disabilities who may take a little more planning to transport if need be.

For good karma with regard to nature, KP and I joined a new CSA this spring! Inglewood Farms in Alexandria, LA, about four hours north of us, delivers weekly to New Orleans. For about $20 a box, we get bookoo greens. I’ve come to know myself too well. If I don’t have greens literally brought by carton to my doorstep, it is unlikely I will purchase for myself the amount necessary to keep me healthy. That’s just the truth. Fortunately, when I’ve got lettuce in plentiful supply, I get motivated to do all kinds of salads—the need to clear through last week’s supply before another shipment arrives turns into the most health-promoting race to the finish. This week, I found a soup recipe that consumed three heads of lettuce and all the leeks that came in last weeks box. Got my eye on making a carrot cake next… with all the carrots they sent. Then beets.

Know Thyself; Join a CSA.

Spring Lettuce and Leek Soup

Adapted from Southern Living

1 large head romaine lettuce

1 large head escarole lettuce

1 head butter lettuce

(one handful of spinach, kale, mixed greens with SUPER green color)

3 tablespoons salted butter

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup dry white wine

5 cups chicken stock

1 (15-oz.) can white beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Sour cream

Dill sprigs

Rinse romaine, escarole, and butter lettuce well; shake and pat dry. Roughly chop leaves and stems; discard cores.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add leeks and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook 1 minute. Stir in lettuces, stock, and beans. Cover and increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until lettuce leaves are wilted and stems are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, parsley, and dill

Using an immersion blender, process hot soup until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper. Garnish servings with sour cream and dill sprigs, if desired.

And then, because you earned it, enjoy a margarita. Made a little skinnier with Cascade Ice.

Skinny Margarita
3 oz Lemon Lime (or Grapefruit) Sparkling Ice 
1 ½ oz Tequila
Splash of fresh squeezed orange
Fresh squeezed lime
Directions: Shake and pour into a chilled rocks glass rimmed in salt. Garnish with a lime slice.