The heavenly texture of this good-for-you soup comes from cauliflower (which also offers cancer-fighting cruciferous benefits), instead of high-fat cream, and the flavonoids in spinach promote better heart-health and may guard against cancer, as well. Popeye would approve of this spinach-rich, velvety soup.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound cauliflower
1 1/2 pounds spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 cups good-quality vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

1. Remove green leaves from cauliflower, peel the stem, and chop it and the florets coarsely. Chop spinach coarsely as well.

2. In a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil and add the garlic, cooking for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the cauliflower, stock, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add spinach and cook another 5 minutes, until the spinach is well-wilted and the cauliflower is very tender. Mix in the mustard and thyme and allow soup to cool slightly.

3. Using a hand-held immersion blender, or working in batches in a blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Add pepper and additional salt to taste, and thin with additional stock or water if too thick.

4. Serve warm.

Serves 8.