Healing Soup ~ Nourishing functional foods

Today is soup day at my house. I love soup days! Day off from a life wearing many 'hats'.
Pots of warming, nourishing soup simmering on the stove, a promise of 'winter health', ready to go! Healing soup time? NOW!

I use the same “pack of healers”-- onions, garlic, ginger, horseradish, cayenne -- when making most winter soups. It's all a very personal choice, just how they are combined. I've been using all of these for many years and am now able to tolerate more 'heat' than, say, 5 years ago, just by increasing the cayenne or the horseradish a little each time I make healing soup & winter stews.

The most important aspects of this healing soup?

The combination of supportive, powerful warming herbs. Everything else is optional.
Buy local when you can; buy organic whenever possible.

AVOID purchasing food from countries renowned for irradiating food. I make it a habit to buy from local farmers markets whenever I can, before going to supermarkets. The MOST important thing, here, is to make conscious choices as much as possible. The 'healing soup' as it's now known as, by friends & family, is almost always available at a moment's notice, courtesy of some advance planning & my freezer. Nutritious soups are so "IN"!! Here's a healing soup recipe that's that's as much a medicine as a food, without a doubt.

This recipe is just a guide.
The ingredients are anti-viral, anti-bacterial & immune-boosting.
Whether you feel like you need it or not; it's delicious and a VERY good idea!

4.5 from 2 votes

Print

HEALING SOUP

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 to 3 onions chopped
• 10 to 12 garlic cloves peeled
• Bone Broth or Chicken stock  organic – 6-8 cups (or substitute Vegetable stock)
• 1 cup grated horseradish root
• 2- inch piece gingerroot grated
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Sea salt
• Black pepper freshly ground
• 2 cups combination of chopped celery carrots, parsnips, corn, and peas
• Optional: 4 cups cooked bite-sized pieces of chicken (free-range or organic preferred)

NOTE

• For those not 'acclimatized' to Horseradish perhaps use ½ cup initially.
• My 'extra ingredients' are listed below; added when the mood strikes!

Instructions

1. In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil and add onions; saute until tender.
2. Add 1 to 2 crushed garlic cloves at the beginning, but keep most until the very end to ensure garlic’s medicine is intact.
3. Add the chicken stock, horseradish, ginger, cayenne and a dash of salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the vegetables and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add the cooked chicken, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings.
6. Add the remaining garlic and serve.

Recipe Notes

ADDITIONAL ideas ~ sometimes I add ALL of them ! (Why NOT?):
Hot Sauce, 1-2 tsp
Dijon Mustard, 1 tbsp
Hot Pepper Flakes, 1 tbsp
½ lemon, added half way through cooking time and 'fished' out at the end.
1 cup good quality water (to stretch the broth)
Turmeric powder, 1-2 tbsp
Paprika, Hot, Spanish, 1-2 tsp
ANY herb or spice to change up the flavour... Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Parsley..
It's you our choice.

Ginger & Turmeric roots

Gotta LOVE this SOUP! TRY IT! I like to make enough for my family and friends to last a while.

Would love to hear about your favourite soups for inspiring health this winter!!

Here's to our health -- Until next time!    Carol xo