Minimal ingredients don’t necessarily mean minimal flavor. This light and simple recipe is wonderful served  chilled or warm—whatever you fancy at the moment. High in zinc, which promotes skin clarity, this pea soup is a low-calorie way to get key phytonutrients and works well as a starter for the anti inflammatory diet. 

Ingredients

Serves 4  

• 2 cups water, or vegetable stock
• 2 tsp vegetable bouillon, omit if using stock
• 3 cups peas, frozen or fresh
• 1 tabespoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese (optional)
• 1 poached egg (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium-sized pot, heat liquid over medium-low heat. Pour in the peas and cook until just tender.

2. In a blender, or with an immersion blender, process peas and stock until smooth. When finished, stir in the extra virgin olive oil.

3. Taste it first, and decide if you want to season with salt and pepper.

4. Serve topped off with a crumbled cheese. This soup also goes well with a soft-poached egg which provides extra protein. Get your soup spoons out and enjoy!

What are your favorite summertime soups?

Katharina Knoll, a Manhattan-based food and art enthusiast has prepared a series of anti-inflammatory recipes celebrating simple, rustic foods. Enraptured by the intersection of health and nutrition, Kat is the founder and director of Behind Foods. Follow Kat on her blog, Katharina’s Food Adventures, and keep in touch through her Facebook fan page and Twitter.