Serve 8
THIS SOUP should be on everyone’s list of standard winter foods throughout the cold and flu season, when everyone around you is coughing and sneezing. The garlic, ginger, turmeric, and veggies all help boost your immune system so those nasty bugs can’t get the best of you. If I’m feeling a little run-down, I’ll make a big vat and enjoy soup for two days straight.
The big handfuls of greens in this soup make it just a little bit more challenging to digest, even while making it more immune-boosting. While eating Pure, simply omit the greens or just use half and make sure they are very well-cooked in the soup. Serve steaming hot with Jennifer’s Way Classic Artisan Bread (here), or Amazing Grain-Free Artisan Bread (here) if you are keeping grain free. If you have a cold or congestion, sprinkle more cayenne on top of the soup to help open your sinuses.
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Himalayan salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
6½ cups filtered water
1 or 2 big handfuls chopped fresh spinach and/or kale
Heat a stockpot or other large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaf, ginger, and turmeric and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, allowing the flavors to develop. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Discard the bay leaf.
Before serving, add the spinach and/or kale. Stir and let cook for another 3 minute for spinach, or another 10 minutes for kale (baby kale only needs about 5 minutes), or until the greens are wilted and soft. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with additional olive oil, and add more salt and black pepper to taste.