This time of year we have loads of fresh veggies available from gardens and farmer's markets and local farms. I'd like to share a recipe for a quick soup I make at least once a week, often several times a week. It only takes about 20 minutes from start until it's in your bowl. It's easily adaptable to what you have on hand, hearty, yummy and incredibly healthy because it's raw and therefore retains its enzyme activity and all of the nutrients of fresh vegetables.

More than that, I'm excited to share this with you as I just found an unedited video of me making this soup, hidden in the recesses of my computer. And there is a very special guest in it--my grandmother Marion, who passed away on July 20th. I'm so glad to be able to give you a glimpse of her and her loving, supportive nature. Here's the recipe (for a link to the video, see below):

Heather In The Kitchen: Green Cilantro-Sunflower Soup

Click here for Heather's instructional video!

Recipe for 3 servings

Ingredients:

1 stalk celery, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 small carrot or half of a sweet potato, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp sprouted sunflower seeds (soak raw, shelled sunflower seeds in water for at least 4 hours, or overnight)
2 leaves kale or swiss chard or bok choy or 1 cup chopped spinach
2 leaves mustard greens, chopped
3 sprigs fresh cilantro, stem included, chopped
1 small piece of broccoli or half of a cucumber
1 Tbsp chopped onion
1/2 clove fresh garlic
1 small tomato
1 tsp sea salt
1 dash chipotle habanero sauce or other hot sauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1.5 cups water

Directions:
Add all of this to a blender and blend on the "ice crush" setting or high until the soup looks creamy. Taste. Add more salt if necessary. Pour into bowls. I like to serve this with olive oil drizzled on top, some black pepper and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Click here for the video!
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Thanks to Dr. Susan Carpenter for filming this, and to my Gram for sharing her love of food and organic agriculture with me.
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Get out to your local farmer's market this week! Check out www.localharvest.org to find a farmer's market or farmstand near you. I'll be doing a cooking demonstration at Gossetts Farm Market in South Salem this Saturday, 11-1.
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For more information, please visit www.katonahgreen.com

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Join the Katonah Green and Beyond Meetup Group: www.meetup.com/Katonah-Green-and-Beyond

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