Healing Soups ~ 100 Healthy Recipes

Homemade soup has it's benefits by allowing one to control the amount of additives and sodium and homemade soups do retain much of their vitamins and minerals as the ingredients cook and become part of the broth. Therefore soup may boost your vegetable intake. 

This lovely cookbook targets different aspects of ones health, well being and or aliments by offering soup recipes for the mind, body, health, and beauty. There are 3 chapters appropriately titled: Soups for Looking Good and Feeling Good, Soups for Recovery and Recuperation and Soups for the Soul and Spirit. At the beginning of the book there is a brief glossary of soup making equipment, essential ingredients and finishing touches. It covers the soup basics... the broth... by offering 4 types of broth recipes fish, chicken, beef, and vegetable. 

Every recipe is one page and has a quip "science bit" about an ingredient, vitamin, herb or vegetable related to the recipe. Recipes are easy to follow and provide you with nutrients to help soothe, comfort and nourish you. At the end there are a few Seasonal recipes, again appropriately titled... Spring Renewal, Summer Coolers, Autumn Boosters, and Winter Warmers. There are many easy and inspiring recipes to choose from and here are  two delicious recipes from the cookbook you may want to try.    

Haitian chicken & orange consommé - for colds 

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serves 4

1.5 litres (2 1/2 pints) chicken stock

500ml (17 fl oz) freshly squeezed orange juice, strained

2 cloves

2 star anise

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

orange slices, to garnish

Put the chicken stock, orange juice, cloves, star anise, and peppercorns into a large saucepan, and simmer gently, cover for 30 minutes.

Strain the soup through a sieve and serve in bowls. Garnish with thin orange slices. Alternatively, chill and serve cold.

Orange juice provides Vitamin C and combines perfectly with the restorative properties of homemade chicken stock. if you feel the need for a little extra nutrition, you can add thin strips of carrot and ginger and some shredded cooked chicken.


Armenian Lentil Soup - for stress
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serves 4

50 g (2 oz) red lentils, rinsed
50 g (2 oz) dried apricots
1 large potato, roughly chopped
1.2 litres (2 pints) chicken or vegetable stock
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper
roasted cumin seeds and slivers of orange rind, to garnish


Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes.

Blend the soup until smooth.

Ladle into bowls and serve with sprinkling of roasted cumin seeds and a few slivers of orange rind.

Lentils are a good source of vitamin B5 and B6, which are vital for healthy adrenal function and energy production. 

Hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the week. - JD     

Hearty Soup

On those days when something substantial will only do; there is this soup which seems more like a stew. This tomato based soup is nestled with lentils, peas and pearl barley and will keep you content for quite awhile.   

Hearty Soup

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2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup (250ml) soup mix (consisting of green split peas, yellow split peas, white long grin rice, pearl barley, and red split lentils)

2 tablespoons summer savoury

1 - 2 teaspoon thyme 

1 28oz (796ml) can of no or low sodium diced tomatoes

4 cups (1 litre) low sodium chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups (500ml) water

Place the oil and diced onion in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Rinse the dry soup mix then add the rinsed soup mix, the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, water, and herbs into the saucepan with the onion. 

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes. Serve.

Notes: You may try adding different herbs and seasonings. Adding curry powder would be a fantastic way to add a bit of kick.  

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Seems like warmer weather is set our way for this week.  - JD 

My Vegetable Lentil Vindaloo

Who doesn't luv a good curry. And who doesn't like a catchy English football song. This vegetable lentil vindaloo is easy and will have you singing. With a few basic ingredients creating something spicy and comforting is just minutes away.  

Vegetable Lentil Vindaloo

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2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 package of 284 gram (10 oz) pre cut veggies (mixture of cauliflower, broccoli and carrot)

grated rind of 1 lemon 

1  796ml (28oz) tin of low sodium diced tomatoes 

1 540ml (15 fl oz) tin of low sodium lentils

1/4 cup of Patak's Vindaloo paste

1. Place the coconut oil in a large pan on medium to high heat. Once melted, add the onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are semi soft... just about clear.

2. Then add the veggies and sauté for a bit longer. Once the veggies have changed colour and are still a bit firm add the grated lemon rind. Stir.

3. Add the tin of tomatoes. Stir to combine.

4. Add the vindaloo paste. Stir until combine.

5. Let simmer for a few minutes. Once it is bubbling about in the pan, add the lentils. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve with rice or naan bread.  

Notes: You may add the juice from the lemon however that will make the vindaloo quite tangy. So it depends on your tastes. You may also substitute the lemon rind or lime rind.  Tin tomatoes and tin lentils help however using fresh tomatoes and dried lentils may be more to ones liking. Adding a dollop of yoghurt on top according to individual taste is nice however once the vindaloo is done and removed from heat you may stir in 1 cup of yoghurt. I was going a bit light with the Vindaloo paste because not everyone likes it spicy. Adding 1/2 cup of Vindaloo paste will change the intensity greatly, again personal preference. There are probably other ingredients you may add like fresh cilantro and honey to ease some of the heat. What is great about this, is that as long as you have the basics you may play around with ingredients according to spiciness. 

It basically took about 30 minutes to make which is great for a weekday meal. Having pre cut veggies saves time. 

Hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend. - JW