Not only is the warmth of a yummy bowl of homemade soup just right for this time of year but the wide variety of nourishing ingredients that can be put together in a bowl of soup make this hot meal a potential nutrient power house. You can also tailor soup to suit your own taste buds or to just use up whatever is in your bottom veggie drawer.
Being the mother of two young boys and somewhat lacking in the culinary department I am happy that one of the most nourishing things that I can make for my family is also one of the easiest.
One powerful combo of health boosting soup ingredients is ginger, garlic, cumin and mushrooms (in general the darker brown kinds of mushrooms have more immune enhancing properties). Ginger increases circulation and cuts congestion. Garlic and Cumin are antibacterials. Shiitake mushrooms are great immune strengtheners (and contain probiotics which support the GI tract- home to many immune supporting cells). You can also use kombu (an edible seaweed high in minerals that support the immune system) in the stock. If you are pregnant and suffering from "morning" sickness, this soup will not just nourish you and your baby but the ginger may also alievate your nausea.
Soup is easy to digest and to convert into energy. This frees up the body to fight infection making it ideal for both nourishing a healthy body and pampering a sick one.
And finally, yoga philosophy teaches that it's the compassion, intention, and energy of those in the kitchen that make a meal fulfilling. As you peel and chop each vegetable, fill your soup with love for those who will eat it, serving a gift that will nourish both their bodies and souls.
Immune Boosting Soup (10-12 servings)
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil -12 ounces fresh Shiitake mushrooms
- 12 green onions thinly sliced (stemmed/ caps sliced)
- 1 5-inch piece of fresh ginger - 6 garlic cloves minced
(peeled, thinly sliced) - 10 cups of water
- 4 cups organic veggie or chicken broth - 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
(In tetra packs or cans in Healthy Aisle) (rinsed briefly)
- 3 teaspoons honey - 1 1/2 tsps salt
- 2 tsps cumin - A 6 ounce pkg of baby spinach
- 1 organic herbal bouillon cube (thinly sliced)
(Healthy Foods Aisle)
- I add any other veggie that I am in the mood for. However that may mean adjusting cooking time and order of adding ingredients. Veggies rich in vitamins A, C, and E, including leafy greens, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes & legumes are great health boosters.
Instructions:
-Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add shiitake mushrooms and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes.(If you can't find fresh Shiitake Mushrooms buy another kind of fresh mushroom with lots of brown hue- I used baby portebello last time I made this).
-Transfer mushrooms to medium bowl. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same pot. Add thinly sliced green onions (white portion), ginger, and garlic; sauté 1 minute.
-Add water, broth, cumin, bouillon cube and porcini mushrooms. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 20 minutes. Strain soup into large pot, pressing on solids in strainer to release as much liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer.
-Stir fresh shiitake mushrooms into broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes.
-Add honey and salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Add green onion tops and spinach to soup and simmer until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Ladle into bowls.
-Garnish with shredded mozza cheese before serving.
Autumn has arrived with a crisp breeze and a swirl of orange and yellow foliage. Break out the sweaters and embrace this season and all the pleasures that come along with it. Go for lots of crunchy walks under the trees followed by yummy hot apple cider to warm your insides. And to ensure that you are up to enjoying this colorful season to the fullest read this months article on immune boosting soups and of course drop by the studio to stretch and breathe your way into a healthy energetic Fall
We are very excited to introduce you all to Beth Moores,a new instructor here at the Studio. Beth studied at Prana Yoga Teacher College in Vancouver and is also a certified Children's Yoga Teacher. She will be teaching the new Family Yoga class on Saturday mornings and will also be taking over the Friday Night Flow. If you see her around the studio say hi and help welcome her into the Shakti Yoga Studio fold. 
While it's not always possible to avoid picking up a cold weather bug, Yoga has lots of benefits that will help you to decrease the chances of succumbing to colds and influenza. 
(Alternate Nostril Breathing) will help sooth your sinuses and increase your resistance to bugs.Recent findings from a Penn State University study involving 294 college students support this. Those who irrigated daily with saline experienced a significant reduction in colds. 
