There is a lot of news these days about the dread flu going around. I’m not here to parse myth from fact, but I do have a delicious soup recipe for you! There are many immune stimulating reasons to eat this soup and I hope you find it as calming to your fears as it is nourishing to your body!
It is not necessary to make your own soup stock, but I did, and I threw some things in there that are good for the immune system, so I will share them with you.
Veggie/Bone Broth:
- Onion cut into quarters (I don’t peel it because the peel is rich in a flavonoid called quercitin)
- Garlic: a handful (garlic and onions both enhance the activities of our white blood cells which fight viruses)
- celery: 4-8 stalks
- carrots: 3-6
- tomatoes: 4-5 (I used Romas)
- zucchini: one cut into chunks
- Mushrooms: Dried Shitake, Miatake, Reishi
- 2 bay leaves, small handful of peppercorns, fennel seed
- 6 slices of dried astragalus (an antiviral herb)
- 6 slices of dried burdock root ( a tonic)
- 6 slices of dried licorice root (an antiviral herb)
- small handful of kelp
- Bones from an animal that had a happy life (chicken, beef, pork)
- Splash of organic apple cider vinegar (helps pull the minerals from the bones into the broth)
Put all the vegetables, bones and herbs in a large stainless steel pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for 12-48 hours. Strain solids out and discard. Pour broth into jars for storage. Freezes well.
Now that you have your stock ready, or if you are using prepared stock, it just takes a few minutes to prepare the soup.
Greens, Garlic, Ginger Soup/ Flu Vaccine Soup
- 3 cups stock (veggie or chicken)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
- 6 cloves fresh garlic (I have a stone that fits nicely into my hand that I use to smash garlic. Once smashed, the skin comes off easily.)
Bring to a boil and let the ginger and garlic simmer for 5-10 minutes in the broth.
- add 6-8 cups of chopped greens: kale, spinach, escarole, bok choy
Let the greens cook for 5 minutes or so.
- add salt and pepper to taste
Blend in blender, food processor, or vita mix, until pureed.
Drink up!
Remember there are a few other simple things you can do to keep your immune system strong:
- Get adequate sleep
- Stay away from sugar and simple carbohydrates
- Get enough vitamin D
- Reduce your stress levels
- Laugh, love, and feel grateful everyday
- Wash your hands!
I ordered my dried herbs fromMountain Rose Herbs