Winter Detox Soup
Sometimes great ideas (or recipes) appear in odd places.
I walked into my local day spa last week, (yes, I’m that kinda girl) and the place smelled amazing. Like there was something warm and delicious cooking, and certain that they didn’t have a kitchen, I asked what is that delicious aroma?
The owner smiled. It’s my detox soup. It’s so good, I’ve been drinking it all day. My nutritional style ears perked up, detox soup? Tell me what’s in it.
It turns out I had all of these simple ingredients at home, and just a few hours later, I too was sipping this delicious, warming broth, in my own kitchen.
Of course, I changed a few things, and added a dark leafy green, but 2 days later, I’m still savoring it.
Here’s why I love this soup from a nutritional point of view; garlic and onion provide us with anti-viral and anti-bacterial support, which is so important for the winter months. Cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper help to stimulate the digestion, and because they are warming, they boost the metabolism too (read more about my favorite spices, here).
Ginger helps with detoxification, and warms your body as well. Carrots provide beta carotene, celery provides natural potassium, and kale is a powerhouse of vitamin K, to fight inflammation, with lots of vitamin C for immune support.
You can see why I love this soup.
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 large leaves of kale, slivered in about 1 inch pieces
1/2 inch slice fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 shallots or 1/2 red onion, rough chopped
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
a couple twists of Himalayan Sea Salt
6 cups water
*Healthy Omnivore Option: 1 chicken breast, cut into bit size pieces
Preparation
1. In a medium size stock pot, bring all your ingredients to just boiling. Turn down to simmer for one hour or more.
2. I don’t strain the vegetables all at once, I leave them in to simmer more the next day, and then use a small strainer above the bowl. If you’re a Healthy Omnivore, try adding chicken, and if you can’t bear to get rid of those veggies, go ahead and skip the straining.
