Wild Ramps, Dandelion Avocado Spring Soup
This Wild Ramp and Dandy Soup is Rich in Flavor and Nutritional Benefits.
Raw greens can be difficult to digest. The familiar quote, “March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb”, can mirror our seasonal eating habits. When seasons change from winter to spring, it’s still cold outside; our bodies benefit from warming and lightly cooked foods for optimal digestive function.
Enter this delicious seasonal soup using specific ingredients to support our health and specifically the organ of the season, the liver and gallbladder.
Taste of Early Spring
Bitter greens in the spring are not only packed with nutrition, but the bitter taste stimulates digestion and helps eliminate bile from a winter of heavier foods that are higher in fat and protein. This spring, if you don’t have Dandelion greens to enjoy, try nettles, fiddlehead, wild mushrooms, or whatever else you want to add to this easy soup preparation. I love the combination of cooked wild ramps and dandy greens, as it’s simple to make, easy to digest, and rich in enzymes.
Wild Ramps
Ramps are among the first green things to pop out of the ground in the spring across Appalachia’s sprawling forests. Ramps look like scallions, but they’re smaller and have one or two broad, flat leaves. Wild Ramps, like all onions, are rich in vitamins A and C, selenium, and chromium. That makes them good for teeth, bones, eyesight, the immune system, the cardiovascular system. They contain antioxidant properties that fight off harmful free radicals in the body. Ramps taste stronger than leeks, which generally have a mild onion flavor and are more “garlicky” than a scallion. They are uniquely pungent, and I adore pairing them with wild mushrooms, other greens like dandelion, sauteed over morning eggs. They are truly a taste of early Spring on your palate.
Dandelion Greens
When you’ve gotten your fill of kale and spinach, dandelion greens offer another nutrient-dense, leafy-green option to add to your regimen. A cup of cooked dandelion greens is low in calories and carbs while delivering a rich mix of vitamins and minerals. You could forage dandelion greens from your lawn before the yellow flowers develop, but the greens you buy at the supermarket are more convenient and tender than the wild ones.
Wild Ramps with Dandelion & Avocado Spring Soup
Either serve at room temperature or hot, this seasonal soup will get you in the mood for everything spring!
I suggest serving with a small shot glass as an appetizer for your next get-together. So easy to make!
Ingredients
3 tablespoons Ghee⠀
2 cups wild ramps coarsely chopped (substitute leeks when ramps are not in season)
Two bunches of watercress (8 ounces, washed and tough ends trimmed)⠀
1/4 cup cilantro ⠀
One tablespoon sea salt⠀
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper⠀
4 cups pure filtered water⠀
1 avocado
Preparations
In a 5 quart saucepan, melt three tablespoons of Ghee over medium heat. Add ramps and reduce heat to medium-low and sauté until fragrant. Add the other greens, 4 cups water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium-low and cover about 5 minutes until greens are tender and bright green. ⠀
Cool slightly. Take your high-speed blender @vitamix and blend until smooth while adding in the avocado. You can also add in homemade bone broth (stock) for a depth of flavor and collagen.⠀
For toppings, you can add microgreens, sauté, additional ramps, or leeks.⠀
Sprinkle hemp seeds for extra taste and texture. ⠀
Add any of these for more protein as toppings or side dish to make it a heartier meal:
Leftover shredded chicken
Wild salmon
Cooked beans like chickpea (works best here)
Red, green, or brown cooked lentils
