Asparagus Soup

1. Boil the water with a pinch of salt and then drop in the asparagus. Boil them for 2 minutes and then scoop out and place into an ice bath until you’re ready to add them to the soup. Reserve 10 cups of the cooking water and set that aside as well.
2. Once the asparagus is cooked and the cooking water is reserved, dump out the remaining water and melt margarine over medium-high heat. Add in the diced onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stir and then cook for 3 minutes to cook out the icky flour taste. Pour in the reserved 10 cups water in 2-cup increments and stir well to distribute the flour. Drain the asparagus and add to the soup, along with the chicken bouillon, parsley, and bay leaves. Bring the soup back up to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
4. After the soup has cooked, fish out the bay leaves and carefully puree the soup with an immersion blender. You can also use a blender, blending in increments—just be sure take off the removable insert in the top and cover with a tea towel.
5. Serve immediately, or put in the fridge to warm up later. You can also freeze this and eat later!