This final blog in my series, “Save Your Life with Soups, Salads, and Smoothies,” focuses on soups.
Soups are a magical way to add vegetables to your diet. But, the great thing about soups is not just the vegetables, it is also the amazing healing properties they have. Soups that begin as bone broth from chicken, beef, or fish, are full of gut healing nutrients.
So, if you think you have leaky gut or you’ve been told by a healthcare practitioner that you have leaky gut, then you’ll want to make homemade soup a priority. Your gut will heal much faster when you have bone broth on a regular basis. If you are focusing on healing your gut, be sure to drink a 4 to 8 oz cup of bone broth before meals.
Another fabulous thing about having soups on a regular basis is weight loss. People who start dinner with a cup of homemade broth based soups, eat less of their main course naturally cutting higher fat foods and naturally reducing salt intake. What’s not to love about that?
While the broth is amazingly healing and the vegetables support health, you don’t have to miss out on your favorite creamy soups. However, instead of using cream that has been ultra pasteurized, use pureed white beans. This will boost the fiber of the soup keeping you full longer and promoting regularity. Beans are also great sources of trace minerals which many people are lacking. Using beans also gives folks who are sensitive to dairy a chance to eat their favorite comfort soups without the painful stomach ache that can follow
You can access my chicken bone broth recipe here. You can also make beef broth, but warning. It take about 72 hours to cook up a batch. I suggest making a large batch and cooking it down to store in the freezer. Here is a link to Nourishing Tradition’s Sally Fallon’s bone broth recipes including beef and fish. She also includes great cooking advice and even a short cut if you don’t have time. http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/broth-is-beautiful/
To make “cream” based soups, simply use one can of white beans and puree in a blender with a can of your bone broth. Blend until smooth and add to the pot.
Certainly, the time consuming part of soup is making the broth. You can use your crock pot to make it convenient for you. Or you cook in a large soup pot on your smallest burner on low. Just be sure to check the water levels two or three times throughout the day to make sure you aren’t cooking all the liquid off. If the liquid level is dropping, add more water.
Once you have your broth, you can add anything to make your soup. I always slice onion and cook in a little extra virgin olive oil on low until just beginning to brown. I often add garlic to the pan, too. I love garlic and onion. Your family will start to hover around the kitchen when they smell the garlic and onion cooking! Its irresistible!
Next, add your favorite vegetables. I almost always through in some tomatoes. Jarred tomatoes are easiest to use. Throw in beans (canned are fine but not quiet as nutrient dense as dried or fresh), tender greens like spinach, diced chicken or whichever protein you’d like, and fresh herbs. Greek oregano would be fabulous. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, dried herbs are good. If you are unsure which herbs to add, here is a good website to guide you. http://adventuresinspice.com Always smell what you are thinking of adding. The nose knows if it will be a good match!
There’s nothing quite like soup to warm the soul. Have fun creating your own combinations for a soup that is uniquely yours knowing you’re boosting your health all the while.
