This is a delicious, nourishing and comforting winter soup recipe. Its quick and easy to prepare and makes the perfect lunch on a cold winters day.
There are so many incredible foods which have exceptional medicinal benefits and one of my favourites is the medicinal mushroom family. The shiitake mushroom is a perfect example of a powerful healing food and it can easily be introduced into our diet; used mainly in asian cooking it offers a unique flavour profile in addition to its incredible health benefits.
Shiitake mushrooms are the perfect addition to your diet during winter, as they help to fight off any imminent colds and viruses and keep us feeling energised and focused. They contain potent immune boosting and antiviral compounds such as Lentinan, a polysaccahride and Lentin which have been successfully used in cancer therapy for their potent effects. Shiitake mushrooms in particular have been used in the treatment of Candidiasis due to their potent anti fungal properties. They are also an excellent source of vitamin D2 and are naturally high in a variety of B vitamins.
You can buy shiitake mushrooms fresh or dried in most grocery stores, if using the dried mushrooms you will need to soak them in hot water for 15 minutes to help soften them before eating. In this recipe you can simply add the hot water along with the mushrooms to your soup bowl rather than soaking them first.
Root ginger has excellent anti inflammatory properties, aids in digestion and is often used for nausea, morning sickness, indigestion and IBS. It has been shown to help lower the risk of certain bacterial infections, especially those which cause oral and respiratory diseases.
Kale is a powerful superfood and is something we should include more of in our diets alongside other dark green leafy vegetables and those in the brassica family. The brassica family play an important role in detoxification and contain compounds such as glucosinolates which are required for phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification. Kale is particularly high in vitamins K, A and C as well as containing beneficial amounts off calcium, iron and magnesium. It is high in antioxidants such as flavonoids and beta carotenes which help protect our cells from damage, ageing and certain types of cancer.
Recipe
Serves: 2
Ready In: 15 minutes
Ingredients
For the stock
Small handful of Shiitake Mushrooms (dried or fresh)
3 tsps Clearspring Miso Paste
2 cm Freshly chopped Root Ginger
400mls Boiling Water
1 can Chickpeas
1 cup Kale
1/2 cup Carvalo Nero
1/2 head of Broccoli
3tsps Miso Paste
Small Handful of fresh Coriander (optional)
Mixed Herbs
1 tbsp Coconut Oil
Pink Himalayan Salt and Black Pepper to season
Method
Set aside two medium sized bowls for serving and prepare the stock. Divide the miso, shitake mushrooms and fresh ginger between each bowl. Add the boiling water to each bowl and stir well. Leave to stew whilst preparing the vegetables.
Chop the kale and broccoli and add to a frying pan, sautee with 3tsps miso paste, mixed herbs, salt, pepper, coconut oil and a little water until almost cooked.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly before adding to the pan, cook for a further 5 minutes.
Once cooked add the sauteed vegetables and chickpeas evenly between the soup bowls.
Add the fresh coriander on top. Serve immediately.
Enjoy