When You Feel Bad: Simple Superfood Soups

When you are sick, you are willing to try anything to get better.

Simple Superfood Soups: 75 Nourishing Recipes for a Healthier You by Pamela Ellgen arrived as I became ill with an awful cough (Coronavirus? We shall never know, I guess.) 

Superfoods sounds intriguing. What are superfoods? Author Pamela Ellgen says, "Nearly every plant-based, whole food is a superfood. A superfood is simply a food that, when eaten in normal quantities, delivers documented health benefits." Ellgen has a simple, yet clear explanation: "Think about it this way---if it comes from a plant, it's probably a superfood. If it was made in a plant, it's probably not."

So let's try some superfood soups, shall we?

I have a garden, a fabulous garden, so I looked for a recipe that would include some of my most abundant vegetables there. White Bean and Kale Soup looked perfect. It begins with Superfood Vegetable Broth. This broth is made by using "all the vegetable scraps you might have tossed into your compost bin." I love the freedom the author offers in this recipe: "The recipe calls for specific ingredients, but if you're missing one or two, swap them for what you have that has a similar flavor profile. Or simply leave it out."

Here's the recipe for this broth:

SUPERFOOD VEGETABLE BROTH

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

2 or 3 large garlic cloves, smashed

1 or 2 tomato cores

1 or 2 bell pepper cores

Handful mushroom stems

Handful fresh herb stems, such as thyme and parsley

4 quarts water

1 bunch kale stems, chopped

1 broccoli stem, chopped

1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt

1. In a large pot over high heat, combine the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, tomato, bell pepper, mushroom stems, herb stems, and water. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low to keep the water at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Add the kale and broccoli stems and cook for 15 minutes more.

3. Season with salt until the broth tastes good to you.

4. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Discard or compost the vegetables.

5. Use the broth or chill and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Easy, right? Now for the White Bean and Kale Soup.

WHITE BEAN AND KALE SOUP

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 leek, cleaned well and thinly sliced

1 yellow onion, diced

1/2 celery stalk, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Pinch red pepper 

1 bunch kale, stems finely chopped, leaves thinly sliced

2 quarts Superfood Vegetable Broth

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained, but not rinsed

Fresh ground black pepper

Sea salt

1. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the leek, onion, celery, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.

2. Add the garlic, thyme, and red pepper. Cook for 1 minute.

3. Stir in the kale stems and vegetable broth. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add the kale leaves and white beans. Season with pepper. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, until the kale is very soft. Serve hot.

I substituted for items I did not have (no celery, no leeks) and added carrots and potatoes.

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