Viagra Soup

"All I ask of food is that it doesn't harm me." Michael Palin

OK.  So this soup is not made with Viagra, but with fava beans.  And if you believe all the hype about fava beans you're going to want to eats this soup.  Lots of it.  Or at least you're going to want to eat fava beans.  Fava beans have a high concentration of L-dopa, an amino acid that's a neurotransmitter in the brain and plays a role in brain activities such as memory, energy and sex drive.  Yes, sex sells, so you might want to mention these fava bean health facts to your adult, picky eaters.

Beautiful Dandelion Greens

And then there are the dandelion greens.  Don't get me started on dandelion greens.  The health claims for these darlings are so outlandish that I'm afraid to print what I learned for fear that there will be a stampede to health food co-ops around the world and there won't be any dandelion greens left for me.

Yes, it's best to purchase commercial dandelion greens as you don't know what's actually landed on the dandelions in your yard.  And look how beautiful they are.  Also, because they're so beautiful you can probably pass them off as Italian flat-leaf parsley.  Or is it that I'm able to lie with a straight face?  Five children and numerous stories about tooth faeries and Christmas elves have made me an expert at embellishing facts.  So here's the recipe before I let slip any more confessions.

Ingredients:
  Double batch of A Really Good Broth (7/24 blog entry)
  2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
  1 bunch dandelion greens, washed and chopped - I also remove the stems
  4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  1 can fava beans, drained and rinsed
 
Distructions:
Whip up a double batch of A Really Good Broth.  Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes.

The broth has a rich meaty aroma, even though it's completely vegan.  Feel free to increase or decrease any of the ingredients according to your preferences.  Feel free to add other vegetables, such as carrots or celery.  Aren't choices wonderful.  Enjoy!