Grief has shaken me many times in my life. From losing my brother as a teenager, to feeling shaken up by moving across the country and missing home, to losing grandparents and pets this past year, I am no stranger to the grieving process. All of this grief came in different forms but at the end of the day it all felt the same. Like a kick to the stomach. A rush of agony to the heart. A knot in the throat. The sensations of a body waiting for a safe moment to cry and cry and cry. All of this is really heavy, I know. But there are ways that you can love and support yourself to make this process a little easier.
Build Me Up Vegetable Soup
I don’t know about you, but as soon as the temperature drops below 50 degrees all I want is soups, stews, and nourishing broths. In all honesty, while I love summer produce, I’m ALL about warming winter meals. This mineral rich vegetable soup has become my new go-to when I’m feeling stressed, run-down, or when I feel like I’m in need of some extra nourishment. This makes enough to sip on for a few days. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 5 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Japanese sweet potato, peeled & chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced
- 8 oz shiitake mushrooms
- 1 baby bok choy, chopped
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 inch turmeric, grated
- 1 tsp sea salt (I like herbamare, adds extra flavor)
- 2 tsp all-purpose seasoning
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
- Squeeze of lemon (optional)
To Make
- Add 2 tbsp of oil of choice (I like butter, avocado oil, or duck fat) to a large soup pot. Add onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Next add garlic, ginger, and turmeric for a few minutes before adding sweet potato, celery, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot. Continue to saute for another 5 minutes.
- Now add seasonings and quickly stir to coat veggies so they don’t burn to the bottom of the pot. Deglaze pot with a little broth if necessary.
- Add broth and chopped parsley and cilantro and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
- During the last 5 minutes, add in bok choy and a squeeze or two of lemon.
- Adjust seasonings as needed and serve warm. I like topping the soup with gomasio, additional cilantro, and a touch of hot sauce for heat.
- If you want to add protein to this soup, gelatin, leftover shredded chicken, and white beans would make great additions.