Being Open - No fooling & Pea-Arugula Soup

I've been thinking a lot about this blog and what I write in it for the past couple of days.

As you may have read from my last post, on Wednesday I went to Longfellow Books, our lovely local bookstore, for a potluck/reading by Caitlin Shetterly.  Her  book, Made for You and Me describes leaving Maine with her husband and two pets to seek a better fortune in LA, and how the recession thwarted their dreams a bit and forced them to return home.  The book is a journey within itself, you travel with them, feel their frustration, their worries, their stress and joys.  You feel relieved when the kindness of strangers and their family surrounds them, and in the end, you feel like you're a part of it.  You feel not alone in the struggle that's happening.  It's the most honest and open thing I've read in a while.  At the end of the reading, we all sang This Land is Your Land, together, as a community.  We shared something together, a moment, a song, some food, and a book. 

That honesty and openness is something I want to bring to my writing here.  I feel like a lot of things are happening now in my life that relates directly to food -- financial woes.  Everyone's suffering a little bit right now, making adjustments in what they buy, what they do, with how high they turn up their heat.  I'm not sure how this honesty is going to be incorporated here just yet, but know that I will be as open with you, my readers, as possible from now on.  We're all in this together.  Maybe some sort of community will form.  Perhaps I can share something with you, whether it be how to save money while still eating healthfully, how to get the most nutritional bang for your buck, or just a common story, a common ground.  Any suggestions about things you'd like to hear about, let me know -- I'm open.  

For now, I will share a soup, the most warming food of all.  Something to cradle in your hands to feel its heat, something to scoop with a spoon, slurping slowly, something to enjoy.  There's a heavy snow falling out my window, so even though it's spring, soup is still in order.  The peas and arugula in this soup hint at the warmer weather to come, with it's gentle light green. Garnished with lemon peel, a bit of zing comes through.

Peas are an excellent source of nutrients, fresh or frozen.  One pound of frozen peas is around $1.30 at my local Whole Foods, and they're worth every penny.  Peas are full of antioxidants and phytonutrients that help prevent stomach cancer and diabetes, and they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.  A lovely combination of protein and carbohydrates, peas add a comforting sweetness and creamyness to this soup.

Arugula is a dark leafy green with a bit of a bite and peppery taste to it.  It adds a complexity to this soup, along with calcium, iron, and vitamin C.

Pea and Arugula Soup

• 1 lb peas, frozen or fresh
• 5 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 1/2 ounces of baby arugula, or 2 cups loosely packed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• rind of 1/4 lemon
• although I didn't include this in my soup, I think a bit of thyme would be a lovely addition

In a large pot, bring the 5 cups of water to a boil with the salt.  Add the peas and bring the heat down to medium-low, so that the soup is simmering rather than boiling over.  Let the gentle simmering-action happen for about 15 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through.  Add the cumin, arugula,  and lemon juice, and cover again for about 5 minutes, or until the arugula has just wilted.  In batches, blend in a blender or food processor.  Do this on the lowest setting on your blender so that your soup stays in the blender and doesn't get all over you.  This may or may not have happened to me while I was making this.  Blend until silky smooth.  Pour into serving bowls, and garnish with lemon rind.  Let the freshness of spring invigorate you, while the warmth of the soup comforts your body.  Serves 4.