5-a-day: Spinach-Mushroom Soup

If its Tuesday, it must be ARF/5-a-day over at Sweetnicks! Today, I am playing along with a nourishing soup that wraps you with comfort like a warm fuzzy scarf.
Spinach and Mushrooms are quickly cooked into a simple soup. A little bit of butter, cheese and milk go a long way in making this soup taste rich and flavorful. It is fine to use fresh or frozen spinach in this recipe. I often find that mature spinach tastes gritty and unpleasant to me, so I am going with baby spinach which has a milder taste.

Spinach Mushroom Soup

(serves 4-6)

Ingredients:
1 bag baby spinach
1 10-oz package mushrooms (baby bella/white)
2 tbsp butter
1 small onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar/monterey jack)
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Heat butter in a large pot. Saute bayleaf, onions and garlic for a couple of minutes until transluscent.
2. Add the flour and stir it around to get it coated in butter.
3. Add 6 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
4. Now add mushrooms and spinach (it will wilt quickly) to the water and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
5. Fish out bay leaf from soup and discard. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, process the veggies to a thick broth.
6. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes, if using.
7. Finish the soup with milk and shredded cheese. Continue heating for a minute or two and then serve.
Sweetnicks, thanks for hosting!