NOTE: At the end of April I posted a recipe using asparagus with cauliflower and leafy greens, as well as nutritional info on asparagus. Here is the link to that post:Â https://www.menupause.info/archives/20506. The recipe from April was much greener, because there were no mushrooms in it. This one below is browner because of the mushrooms. Use white button mushrooms for a lighter color soup.
Utensils: Cutting board & knife, pot for mushrooms, steamer basket & pot or oven sheet for asparagus with tongs for turning, blender or food processor, soup bowls
Prep and Cooking Time: About 20 minutes
Categories: Vegan, Gluten Free, No Sugar Added
Ingredients
10-13 uncut organic mushrooms (not large ones)
enough water or broth/stock to cover mushrooms for cooking, about one cup
3 -4 slices of leek
one piece garlic
one slice ginger (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups asparagus (plus oil if roasting)
parsley, leeks, or chives for garnish
Directions
(Pre-heat oven @ 350 degrees if you want to roast the asparagus or put up water in a steamer pot if steaming the asparagus.)
1. Wash mushrooms well (use a food brush or wet paper towel) and cut off a sliver at the very bottom of the stems where they have turned dark brown. Slice whole mushrooms and place in a pot with enough water to cover. Turn on medium heat to cook about 10 minutes.
2. While the mushrooms are cooking, wash and snap off the ends of the asparagus and slice into thirds. Steam (in steamer basket with enough pre-heated water underneath to the bottom of steamer) or roast in oven @ 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. If roasting, brush with coconut or other oil, and broil for about 30 seconds after the 5 minutes of roasting, turning once.
3. The mushrooms and asparagus should be ready about the same time, under 10 minutes. Place the cooked or roasted asparagus in the pot with the mushrooms and broth. Then in two or three batches, puree the mushrooms and asparagus, PLUS the garlic and ginger (if using). Add a dash of salt & pepper or other herbs of your choice. (If you like, before pureeing, remove a few pieces of mushroom and/or asparagus, and then add back to the pureed soup for a chunkier texture.)
4. If the soup is too thick, add more stock. Heat again and serve hot with garnish of choice. (Option: Feel free to add some cooked rice or quinoa to the soup to thicken.)
Yield: Two servings (Feel free to double the recipe for more servings and to use  more asparagus for a greener soup. The proportions can be changed to your taste and what you have available. Be flexible!)
Notes:Â If you want to use an immersion blender, you may have to cut the mushroom and asparagus pieces smaller either before or after cooking them. I used a food processor, so not sure how small the pieces need to be.
Also, if you steam the asparagus, you can use that instead of the mushroom broth from cooking them. Otherwise, cool well and use to water your herbs, flowers or houseplants.
Finally, this recipe was originally part of Earth Day, Every Day in April with the first soup since they are both low on the food chain, but can be counted as my first posting in May as part of my ongoing plan for this concept every month. I hope to make this a new category in the lefthand margin some time this month.