spinach potato soup, aka healthy heaven in a bowl

This is one of my all time favorite soup recipes. Perfect for a cozy night in... comfort food without tons of heavy cream or cheese (don't get me wrong, there IS cheese, but it's a garnish... and it's delicious). I have posted photos of this soup on my Instagram in the past and I always receive direct messages afterwards asking for the recipe, SO in an effort to give the people what they want, I'm giving a run down on this incredibly easy to make meal!

Side note: Nothing irritates me more than finding an awesome recipe, but being forced to scroll through 104,378,924 pictures and giant paragraphs of text before getting to the ingredients. GIVE ME THE INGREDIENT LIST! I am trying to meal-plan and I need to get to the grocery store! So, for those of you who just want to make the damn soup, here's what you need to do. I'll get into why this soup will always have a special place in my heart later on :)

**Note, you need a blender -- preferably an immersion blender to make this recipe! I've had the Cuisinart Smart Stick for at least 7 years and it is worth its weight in gold. And they have it on Amazon Prime so just pull the trigger on this kitchen staple ;)

YOU'LL NEED

-2 TBS Olive Oil

-1 large onion - medium chopped

-3 garlic cloves - minced

-1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes (approx. 5 small potatoes)

-1⁄4 cup dry sherry or white wine (this is optional)

-2 cups additional white wine (this is for you to drink while you cook.... is this not how recipes work?)

-15 ½ ounce chicken broth (I like 'Simple Truth Organic' Low Sodium chicken broth)

-2 large handfuls of spinach

-Salt and pepper to taste

-crumbled goat cheese to garnish

PUT IT TOGETHER

1) Wash all your veggies. Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch round slices

2) Head 2 TBS olive oil in a large pot. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant. Add peeled potato slices and cook for 2 minutes

3) Pour sherry (1⁄4 cup), broth, and 2 cups of water into the pot. Most of the potatoes should be covered, with the tops slightly poking out

4) Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes)

5) Stir in two large handfuls of spinach and cook until wilted (30 seconds to 1 minute)

6) Remove from heat, use immersion blender to puree until smooth. If you don't own an immersion blender you can blend in batches in the blender (note: this is the messier option)

7) Season with salt and pepper to taste

Serve with a generous sprinkle of crumbled goat cheese (this is the most important part) -- the cheese melts into the soup and gives it a creamy texture. THE BEST.

I also love serving with toasted baguette for dipping.

So before my college friends and I moved in with boyfriends, left San Diego for new jobs, got married and had kids, four of us lived in an amazing little beach house in Pacific Beach. It was our first house that felt like a home, complete with a gourmet kitchen, nice floors and fixtures, and furniture straight out of a Pottery Barn catalog (one roommates mom was an interior designer and passed along the furniture she switched out of her home). Our nights were filled with episodes of Vampire Diaries and amazing meals we cooked together throughout the week. This recipe was a staple in our repertoire and is now a constant reminder of those fond memories with good friends that I still have to this day.

I hope this soup can bring you some joy and memories of your own. Make sure to download the recipe card so you can print and add to your recipe box or book.

Enjoy!