'Anti-Flu-Season' Ginger, Turmeric, Lemongrass & Carrot Soup
Serves 4
This is the soup that sticks two fingers up in the face of germs. It is loaded with anti inflammatory, anti bacterial and anti viral ingredients that help our immune systems fight off those pesky microbes. But let’s not forget it’s not in the form of hard-to-take medicine, it is down right delicious too! The fragrant ginger, turmeric and lemongrass pack a real Thai flavour punch. It is a tasty and warming soup that is quick to make and just happens to double up as a great cold preventer.
Garlic is a powerful anti-microbial food, especially if you can even stomach eating it raw! And the active constituent of ginger is a compound called gingerol that is especially helpful at fighting infections in the respiratory tract. And turmeric, oh my darling turmeric, is the Queen of all of the healing spices! It has some of the most reliable scientific backing when it comes to its super powers. The active ingredient in turmeric is called Curcumin and it has potent antioxidant capabilities that have been shown to help with a whole variety of health concerns, from arthritis, to digestive problems and even cancer. Western medicine has begun to study turmeric as a pain reliever, as an anti-inflammatory, and as a healing agent. Curcumin has shown promise as having both protective effects against cancer and even potential as a cancer treatment itself. So let’s get eating!
One serving provides 158 calories, 4g of plant-based protein and 7g of fibre. It also provides well over 300% of my daily Vitamin A requirements, as well as 36%, 18% and 16% of my Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron respectively.
INGREDIENTS
· 400g Carrots
· 100g Onions
· 100g Leeks
· 4 Garlic Cloves
· 15g Fresh Turmeric
· 15g Fresh Ginger
· ½–1 tsp Fresh Red Chilli depending on how spicy you like it (NOTE — the turmeric and ginger already give the soup a little kick, so you might not need as much chilli as usual)
· 4 Kaffir Lime Leaves
· 1 stick Fresh Lemongrass
· Juice & Zest from 2 Limes
· 600ml Vegetable Stock (or Bone Broth for some extra gut-love!)
· 300 ml Unsweetened Coconut Milk (from a drinkable carton, not a tin)
· 2 tsp Olive Oil to sauté
· Salt & fresh black pepper to taste
· Optional — Whole Roasted Buckwheat Groats to sprinkle as a crouton
METHOD
· Dice the onions and leeks; and mince the garlic.
· Peel and finely dice the turmeric and ginger.
· Chop the carrots (no need to peel).
· Remove the tough outer layers of the lemongrass until it is somewhat bendy. Slice it thinly.
· Sauté the onions and leeks in a large saucepan in a little oil until they have softened.
· Add the garlic, turmeric, ginger and lemongrass and continue to fry for one more minute, making sure the spices don’t burn.
· Add the chopped carrots, Kafir lime leaves and the vegetable stock (or bone broth if using).
· Simmer on a low-medium heat for half an hour.
· Add the lime zest and juice and the coconut milk.
· Continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
· Remove from the heat and blitz in a blender until smooth.
· Season with salt and pepper and add a little more stock/coconut milk if the consistency is too thick.
· Sprinkle with Buckwheat groats to serve.
Macros per serving
Calories — 158
Fat — 3g
Carbohydrates — 31g
Protein — 4g
Fibre — 7g
Vitamin A — 343%
Vitamin C — 36%
Calcium — 18%
Iron — 16%