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Funk Defying Soups: Restore Your Health with 5 Herbal Recipes
Cold Kickin' Soup
This low-fat recipe is great for those post-holiday sniffles. Not only is it chock full of ingredients to help you deal with your cold but the barley is also a good source of fiber, selenium, phosphorus, copper and manganese; and it fills you up without tacking on a bunch of unwanted calories.
INGREDIENT
COMMONLY ACCEPTED HEALTH BENEFIT
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Reduces your risk of heart disease
  • 1 medium white onion, coarsely chopped
    • Anti-inflammatory antioxidant
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced*
    • Helps the body fight off infections (antimicrobial)
  • 3/4 cup pearl barley**
    • Reduces cholesterol, low calorie but filling
  • 6 cups vegetable stock
    • High in vitamins
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
    • Antimicrobial antioxidant
  • 1 sprig fresh basil
    • Anti-inflammatory antioxidant
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
    • Stimulates immune system and improves digestion
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
    • Fights free radicals (antioxidant)
  • 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and diced
    • Source of vitamin C, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory
  • 3 cups spinach, chopped
    • Rich in calcium, vitamin C & vitamin A
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
    • Salt: clears phlegm; Pepper: aids digestion
    Directions:
    1. To get maximum flavor, start by heating a heavy-bottomed soup pot on medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the olive oil and let it heat up to just below the point of smoking (about 1 minute) before adding your food.
    2. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes) until softened.
    3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until it's fragrant and golden but not brown (about 2 minutes).
    4. Add pearl barley and coat it with oil by stirring while it cooks (about 2 minutes).
    5. Add stock, thyme, basil and rosemary. Increase heat to bring soup to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and cook for 1 hour or until the barley is barely tender.
    6. Add carrot and sweet potato. Continue cooking until vegetables have softened (about 25 minutes).
    7. Add greens and cook until wilted and tender (about 10 minutes).
    8. Using a potato masher, gently mash up the potatoes.
    9. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
    * For the health benefits, mince the garlic; then leave for 10 minutes to allow the allicin (the component in garlic believed to provide garlic's positive health effects) to fully develop before adding to recipes. Add the garlic about five minutes before the end of cooking.
    ** In most major supermarkets, barley is located next to dry beans, lentils and rice.
    Detox Day Soup
    It'd be great if our willpower was stronger than our stomachs. Unfortunately, sometimes we just can't help but give in to the two biggest diet destroyers: drive-thrus and delivery. A binge week filled with processed, high calorie, preservative-laden foods might be comforting in the moment, but once you start to digest them, you may feel bloated, backed up and blasé. Give your body a boost and help cleanse your system with this healthy, flavorful low-cal soup.
    INGREDIENT
    COMMONLY ACCEPTED HEALTH BENEFIT
  • 48 oz. low-sodium chicken broth
    • Good source of protein.
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Reduces your risk of heart disease.
  • 1 butternut squash
    • High fiber, filling, low in calories.
  • 1 bunch rainbow chard
    • High concentrations of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fiber.
  • 2 zucchini, chopped
    • High in folates (helps cell reproduction), vitamins C, E, and K, carotenes, chlorophyll, and fiber
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
    • Vitamin K & C
  • 1 shallot clove, diced
    • High in antioxidants
  • 4 garlic cloves, diced
    • Antimicrobial
  • Dried oregano to taste
    • Antibacterial, high in fiber
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • Aids digestion
  • 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
    • (Not every ingredient has to have a health benefit, does it?)
    Directions:
    1. Sauté the celery, shallot and garlic in a heavy-bottomed soup pot with the olive oil. Once the diced pieces begin sticking to the pan, add a little of the chicken broth.
    2. Add oregano, pepper and a little more of the broth.
    3. Once it starts smelling and looking good, add in the zucchini and squash and stir.
    4. Add the chard and the remaining broth. Once the chard has cooked down and you're ready to serve up some soup, add the cheese, stir it up and enjoy.
    Energizing Green Pea Soup
    Coming out of those lazy winter days can be tough. Good thing there's an easy recipe filled with vitamins, fiber and the energy you need to get things pumping again. This vitamin-rich soup is perfect for days you feel sluggish and crave something a little different.
    INGREDIENT
    COMMONLY ACCEPTED HEALTH BENEFIT
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • Rich source of vitamin A, E, K and D
  • 1 medium spring onion, chopped
    • Vitamin C, and numerous flavonoids
  • 4 cups shelled fresh peas
    • 8 vitamins, 7 minerals, dietary fiber and protein
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
    • High in vitamins
  • 1/2 cup white wine
    • Improved lung function from antioxidants
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    • Helps neutralize particular types of carcinogens
  • Sea salt, to taste
    • Clears phlegm
  • 4 cups torn Boston lettuce
    • Good source of vitamins, magnesium, calcium, potassium and iron
  • 1 cup whole milk
    • Calcium helps strengthen bones
  • White pepper, to taste
    • Aids digestion
  • 1/3 cup crème fraiche or Kefir (optional)
    • Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria good for digestion
    Directions:
    1. Melt the butter in a large, preheated saucepan.
    2. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until softened, (about 5 minutes.)
    3. Add the peas, broth, 2 cups of water, wine, parsley, and salt and bring them all to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the peas are about half cooked (for about 6 minutes).
    4. Add the lettuce and continue to cook until the peas are completely tender, (4 to 8 minutes).
    5. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.
    6. Return to the saucepan, add the milk, and heat through.
    7. Season with white pepper and additional salt if necessary.
    8. Ladle into bowls and (if desired) top with a dollop of crème fraiche or Kefir.
    Allergies & Asthma Alleviating Soup
    Changing weather can lead to some nasty allergy and asthma issues. If your lungs are feeling tight, try brewing up a bowl of this garlic chicken soup to help out.
    INGREDIENT
    COMMONLY ACCEPTED HEALTH BENEFIT
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • Reduces your risk of heart disease
  • 1 whole clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
    • Boosts immune system
  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cubed)
    • Leanest part of the chicken, still high in protein
  • 2 large onions, chopped
    • Anti-inflammatory antioxidant
  • 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
    • Richest vegetable source of pro-vitamin A carotenes
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
    • Vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese and dietary fiber
  • 4 quarts chicken broth
    • Helps cilia in lungs and nose move to open airways
  • Salt, to taste
    • Reduces phlegm
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • Aids digestion
    Directions:
    1. Heat oil in a large soup pot.
    2. Add the garlic, onion, celery and chicken; sauté for 5 to 10 minutes.
    3. Add broth, carrots and potatoes, and bring to a boil.
    4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    5. Simmer until vegetables are cooked (about 20 minutes).
    System Reboot Soup
    Sometimes we just don't feel balanced. Maybe we haven't caught that cold just yet, but we can feel those aches and pains and general "blahs." Give yourself a boost with this simple, delicious herbal soup.
    INGREDIENT
    COMMONLY ACCEPTED HEALTH BENEFIT
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • Reduces your risk of heart disease
  • 1 onion, diced
    • Anti-inflammatory antioxidant
  • 1 bulb garlic (at least 10 cloves), minced
    • Boosts immune system
  • One 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger root (grated)
    • Eases gastrointestinal distress
  • 1 1/2 cups salted vegetable soup stock
    • High in vitamins
  • 5 pieces sliced dried astragalus root
    • Promotes immune function and builds stamina
  • 2 cups fresh, sliced shiitake mushrooms
    • Contains lentinan that powers up the immune system
  • 1 large portobello mushroom
    • Has more potassium than a banana
  • Salt, to taste
    • Reduces phlegm
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • Aids digestion
    Directions:
    1. Boil 8 cups of water in a large pot.
    2. In a skillet, heat olive oil, then sauté the garlic, onions and ginger until soft and aromatic.
    3. Add the skillet contents to the pot of boiling water.
    4. Add broth, shiitake, astragalus and portobello. Cover and simmer for two hours.
    5. Remove from the heat and let sit for two hours.
    6. Remove the astragalus and reheat.
    7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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