Ah yes. January is here, and that means it’s time to get back into the swing of things. We want to feel happy, healthy, and cleansed from the inside out. Especially after all of those sweet treats we’ve been enjoying. Well, we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, soups are one of the most nourishing things you can do for your body—and you will absolutely love this cleansing soup recipe from Mother’s Downtown chef, Renee. If you’re looking for post-holiday recipes that will make you feel oh so good, this is the one.
Renee’s Post-Holiday Recipes: Cleansing Vegetable Turmeric Soup with Shirataki Noodles & Astragalus Root
This recipe incorporates two very cleansing foods: astragalus root and shirataki noodles. Astragalus root is a Chinese specialty known for its adaptogenic and medicinal properties. It helps boost the immune system and protects the body from colds, viruses, and other seasonal illnesses. It also defends the body against emotional, mental, and physical stress. Perfect for this time of year. You can purchase astragalus at Asian grocery stores or from acupuncture or herbalist clinics.
Shirataki noodles are made from a Japanese yam (known as “konjac”) that has medicinal properties. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM), it is primarily used for detoxification though it is also used to treat more serious ailments such as tumor suppression and blood stasis alleviation. If you have difficulty finding Shirataki noodles, rice noodles will do too.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 32-ounces of vegetable stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
- 1 15-ounce can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp ground astragalus root
- 7 ounces shirataki noodles
Directions
1. Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
2. Add turmeric, garlic, ginger, and cayenne. Stir until vegetables are coated. Cook for one minute or until fragrant.
3. Add broth, water, salt, and pepper then bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add cauliflower, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
4. Once the cauliflower is tender, add beans, kale, astragalus root, and noodles. Cook until kale is wilted. Serve hot and bon appetit!
We hope you enjoy this soup from our chef at Mother’s Downtown Kitchen. For even more health-boosting benefits, try one of our juice cleanses! They never disappoint.