Friday, November 21, 2014

Flu Fighting Soup

vegan bowl of soup for fighting the flu



Flu season is on it's way. What are you doing to boost your immunity? 

You don't have to already have the flu to enjoy a bowl of this warming and nourishing immunity boosting soup. It's a light soup that is easy to digest and soothing to the tummy.


What are the powerful ingredients in this soup? 



Cabbage

Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable (like kale, broccoli, Brussels Sprout, Arugula) which contains powerful antioxidants believed to help boost immunity. Cabbage is also rich in vitamin C and vitamin C is a vital ingredient in fighting of colds and flu! The cabbage cooks down and almost melts into the soup.

Garlic and Onions

Onions and garlic have their own potent antiviral and antibacterial qualities. Did you know that when garlic or onions are chopped, they release juices that mingle and create an enzyme that is a powerful healing agent?  

TIP: 
**For greatest health benefits, garlic and onions should be cut or chopped and then be permitted to sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the essential enzyme "allicin" to form. Allicin is a strong antimicrobial that starts to activate after the garlic and onion are cut.****



Turmeric is another immunity Booster
Since many of the vegetables in this soup are white or light green in color such as cabbage, onion, garlic, potato and celery, I like to add some healthy turmeric powder to the soup for additional antioxidants and to give the soup a golden looking color. In addition, turmeric is considered an anti-inflammatory and may help reduce inflammation. Some studies show that adding pepper when using turmeric helps the body absorb the turmeric better.


Carrots
Carrots not only add nutrients , they taste great in soup. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A which is important for immunity boosting as well.

Whether you rely on this soup to help boost immunity, help prevent the colds and flu, or just for some comfort on a damp night, one thing is for sure- you will enjoy it.

This time of the year, I can't get enough soup. I find that soups are easy to make, warming, satisfying and filling. With all the vegetables in soup, you get a nice variety of nutrients. Scroll to the bottom of this post for some of my other easy and healthy soup recipes. Of course all of my recipes meet gluten free, vegetarian/vegan and meet whole food standards.

Author: Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Serving Size: Makes 4 full cups or 2 large bowls

Ingredients: 
3 cups of chopped cabbage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large Russet potato, chopped 
4 cups of good tasting vegetable broth 
3 cups water
1 tablespoon of herbal salt free seasoning (I use 21 Salute from Trader Joe's) or garlic powder, onion powder, etc.
Optional : 1/4 teaspoon on turmeric to add color and antioxidants after the soup has cooked

Easy Directions: 
Using a 4 qt pot or larger, slowly sauté onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and potato for about 5 minutes to soften the vegetables. Add vegetable broth, water, and chopped cabbage and seasonings. Cook for about 1/2 hour until the cabbage is soft. Add the turmeric at the end when the soup is done.

vegetable soup with turmeric

My Notes: 
1.  This recipe calls the addition of 4 cups of vegetable broth. A good vegetable broth is essential. If you don't make your own, I like to use Tabatchnicks which I find in the Kosher aisle of the supermarket. It is a wonderful tasting broth and enriches the soup.

2. Sauté-  vegetables can be sautéed in a little oil, water, or broth. I choose to eliminate oil and sauté in strictly water or broth. Eliminating oil cuts calories and the amount of fat in the recipe. 

Did you know that oil is one of the most calorie dense foods you can eat? 
In fact 1 tablespoon of oil has 120 calories
I medium sweet potato has 114 calories. 
Which would you rather have? 



Click below for more of my easy and healthy Soup Recipes;

Disclaimer: The information in my blog posts is for educational purposes only and is not meant to be medical advice. Everyone is different. Always follow your doctor's advice if you have the cold or flu. 

Got extra Cabbage? Make this fabulous Asian Peanut Coleslaw 

asian coleslaw with peanut dressing





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    photo of woman from Gluten Free A-Z blog
    Good food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.

    Author: Judee Algazi
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14 comments:

  1. Mmmmmm another tasty soup recipe! This one sounds so comforting, and I love the idea of adding tumeric at the end for its powerful anti inflammatory properties

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    Replies
    1. Jen,
      I am on a soup kick! It's gotten so cold. It's amazing how many wonderful different types of soup there are, and yes I love to use turmeric

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  2. I love a good cabbage soup and this one does look like a good cure-all for the winter season. ;-) Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week.

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  3. G'day Looks great and hope it works! All blog comments appreciated and sharing is caring today!
    Cheers! Joanne @ What's On The List #SayGdayParty pinned

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  4. As I am fighting a cold right now I definitely could use this soup!

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  5. Hi Judee, Thank you for the soup recipe. It will be good to have during cold season. Pinned.

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  6. This sounds like a fantastic soup for this time of year. Pinned. Thanks for bringing this to Weekend Bites. We will be live tonight 8:30 EST. Happy Thanksgiving.

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  7. Delicious,thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop. pinning.

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  8. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is one of the Top Ten Favorites this week at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are enjoying your week and your new Red Plate.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  9. I forgot to write and say this delicious soup was a big part in my recovery from bronchitis. Made exactly per recipe, including using Tabatchnick Garden Fresh Broth. I actually got addicted to it, both for taste and guarantee of comfort.

    The kicker: my gluten UN-free husband who defines soup as starchy and carby concrete slurry did not consider this light, nourishing recipe a meal or part of a meal, but *ate it constantly as a snack.* Miracle. 😁

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lauraleh,
      Glad you enjoyed this healthy soup and hope your are recovered from your bronchitis.

      Delete
  10. Yummy as usual! Love your photo too.

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  11. A great sipping soup for those "under the weather" days, thanks Judee.

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Your comments are appreciated. I love knowing who is stopping by to read my posts! Have a great day.

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