Nourishing Winter Soup!

On a cold winter’s day, nothing sounds better than a warm, nourishing bowl of soup.  

The following recipe is my take on an old idea – turning roasted vegetables into a satisfying meal. 

Here is my recipe along with an explanation of what makes the ingredients so healthy. 

Ingredients:

• 6-8 large carrots, grated, and sliced 

• Container of pre-cut butternut squash 

• 3-6 garlic cloves 

• One sliced onion

• One sliced green onion 

• Box of organic vegetable broth 

• Can of full-fat organic coconut milk 

• Cinnamon 

• Turmeric 

• Salt and pepper 

• 3-4 tablespoons avocado oil 

• Optional spices: cumin (for spice) and grated ginger (for warmth and added immune support)

Instructions: 

1. Coat all sliced apples and veggies in avocado oil. I like avocado oil because it has a high smoke point, is heart-healthy, contains lutein for the eyes, and helps facilitate the absorption of other nutrients in the soup. 

2. Note: avoid vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, and corn because they are highly inflammatory. 

3. Arrange sliced apples and veggies on parchment-lined trays for easier cleanup. 

4. Sprinkle liberally with spices, including sea salt and black pepper. 

5. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees until things start to lightly brown and you can pierce the carrots with a fork.

6. While vegetables are roasting, add coconut milk and vegetable broth to a large pot and whisk together on low heat. 

7. When vegetables are done, add to liquid mixture and cook on low until all vegetables are soft enough to be pureed in a blender.

8. Carefully ladle soup into a high-powered blender.  

9. Return to a large pot. 

10. Serve as is or with rustic bread and a drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar. Cosco makes a great one! 

Health benefits of the soup: 

• Carrots are loaded with beta carotene, calcium, and fiber

• Butternut squash is also a good source of beta carotene, potassium, and fiber

• Onions have lots of detox-promoting sulfur compounds, fiber, as well as quercetin, which is both an anti-inflammatory and antihistamine. Onions may also help maintain healthy testosterone levels in men (Banihani, 2019). 

• Apples are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber

• Garlic is great for immune support and cardiovascular health (Shouk et al., 2014)  

• Coconut milk is a great option for anyone who is lactose intolerant. It also contains medium-chain fatty acids – a form of fat converted into energy rather than stored as fat. Coconut milk is also anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial, as well as full of electrolytes. 

• Cinnamon helps with sugar dysregulation 

• Turmeric can be anti-inflammatory 

A cup of this bright orange soup tastes great, warms the body and soul, and is chock full of naturally-occurring nutrients. It’s ready in around 30 minutes! So what are YOU waiting for?

Resources: 

Banihani S. A. (2019). Testosterone in Males as Enhanced by Onion (Allium Cepa L.). Biomolecules, 9(2), 75. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9020075

Shouk, R., Abdou, A., Shetty, K., Sarkar, D., & Eid, A. H. (2014). Mechanisms underlying the antihypertensive effects of garlic bioactives. Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.), 34(2), 106–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2013.12.005