Anita's Health Blog: Veggie Soup

Monday, January 5, 2015

Veggie Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of ghee (or olive oil for 100% vegan)
fresh garlic
fresh ginger
2 small red onion

1 white onion
green onions (separate white from green part)
bunch of carrots

fresh broccoli
1 bunch of fresh asparagus
1/2 a fresh cauliflower (not pictured below)
bunch of celery
fresh kale (mine was frozen from my garden)

bunch of fresh spinach

bunch of cilantro
8 cups veggie stock
2 cans of coconut milk (1 full fat coconut milk & 1 low fat)

1 teaspoon dried basil (or amount to preference)

2 teaspoon of Salt Free garlic & Herb spice
2 small hot chilies (I used the 5 color Chinese hot pepper from my garden)
Himalayan salt (to taste...omit for a low-sodium option...still just as delicious!)

*Note - try use all Organic products & produce, and fresh chili peppers, garlic & ginger.

Directions:

Chop up all veggies into small or sizable pieces according to preference. Heat up ghee pan, and when hot add minced garlic, ginger and chili. After a good stir add the chopped up onions.

Saute for about 3-5 minutes until it the onions start to turn translucent. Add the chopped broccoli and carrots, then mix well for a couple of minutes. Add the basil and herb spice. Stir in for about a minute. Then add in half the veggie stock. Add in the 2 cans of coconut milk. Mix in well. Put the heat on high. Taste the liquid to see if it needs more spices, if so mix in more spices accordingly, and let the liquid heat up for about 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes add in the asparagus and celery. I let that cook for about 3 minutes then add the kale. With all the liquid at this point it isn't even near a boil. Take this time to add in the other half of the veggie broth.

Bring liquid to a near boil, it took about 10 minutes for this amount (do not over cook, so keep an eye on it). Before it reaches a boil turn off the stove and add the spinach, green part of the green onions and cilantro. Cover the pan for 5 minutes after to let the spinach steam. After 5 minutes mixing the soup and it's ready to eat!

A big pot like this lasts for days. I store it in the fridge, and sometimes a serving in the freezer for a rainy day. When I'm ready to eat it I heat it on the stove and throw some fresh spinach towards the end. It just takes some heat and steam to soften up the spinach, making the dish feel like it was just made!

Tips - The key to an Amazing veggie soup is to NOT overcook the veggies. In fact under-cook them. When you turn the heat of the hot liquid tends to keep cooking them. This tip is important, especially with such a big pot that will be reheated the next day. Always reheat only as much as will be eaten right away.

All ingredients

All ingredients chopped up and read to cook

Heat Ghee, and when hot add the chopped garlic, ginger and chilli

Add the red, white and green onions (but not the green part of the green onion). Cook at medium-high until onions start to get translucent

Add the broccoli and carrots

Mix in for a few minutes

Add seasoning - Basil and Salt Free herbs

Add half the veggie broth (I used 2 quarts...1 low sodium one regular)

Add both the cans of coconut milk (1 low-fat one regular can). Makes for some really delicious healthy creamy soup.

Mix all liquids in well

Make sure the heat is on high so all the liquid can slowly reach a boil.

Taste the broth and if it needs more flavor add my basil and/or herbs

Once the liquid starts to get a little bit hot add the asparagus and celery

Mix in and cook for a few minutes

Mix in the kale and keep an eye on the soup so it almost reaches a boil but doesn't boil. I like my soup to have slightly underdone veggies so when I heat up my serving over the next few days the veggies don't overcook.