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Cooking an Herbal Immune Soup This time of year with more cold, dark, damp days most of us experience more colds, flu, congestion, excess weight, melancholy, low energy, body aches and joint pain. These are all signs of the watery element, Kapha in the Ayurvedic healing system. We look forward to spring and the return of the light and warmth and a time when we will feel better. For now in the midst of these darkest days we can help ourselves avoid illness and gloom. By avoiding cold, damp, mucus forming foods and favoring dry, warming, building foods we can reduce the tendency towards illness at this time.If you suffered in the past from repeated illnesses such as colds, flus, respiratory infections, asthma, and spring time allergies we can work with the diet and herbal formulas now to strengthen the digestion, liver, lungs, and immunity so we can prevent or lessen the severity of these yearly patterns. Foods to avoid at this time of year are: dairy products such as milk, cheese, ice cream, creamy sauces; too many grains meaning more than1-2 servings per day of cooked grains such as rice, pasta, and breads; too much red meat, 2-3 servings per week is probably plenty for most of us; cold temperature foods like iced drinks and foods cold in energy such as raw vegetables and fruits. All of these foods contribute to congestion in the digestion coupled with the cold temperatures of winter. Some may be fine for us to eat in the heat of summer and serve at that time to cool us off. However, continuing to eat cold energy foods at this time of year invites congestion, inflammation, and later progression to inflammatory diseases. Look instead to warming foods such as soups with grains and vegetables, cooked root vegetables such as yams, squash, and beets; leanwhite meats such as turkey and chicken, fish and lightly steamed or sauteed greens. In addition, try to increase cooking with spices that warm us such as ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin,coriander, anise and fennel. This delicious herbal immune soup incorporates many of these spices and is nourishing, cleansing and antiviral. Prepare extra to save for a snowy afternoon and serve this with warm fresh bread by the fire. Fresh Herbs and Teas's Herbal Immune Soup 1 Onion, chopped 4 Garlic Cloves, minced 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil 1 Cup Carrots, sliced 1 Cup Brocolli, chopped 1 Cup Cabbage, sliced 1/2 Cup Shiitake Mushrooms, sliced 3 Tbsp Sunrise's Eat Your Herbs Soup Seasoning 1 Tablespoon Sunrise's Healing Herbal Vinegar 6 Cups Water 6 Tsp. Miso Paste In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. Stir in the carrots, broccoli and cabbage. Add the mushrooms, herbal seasoning blend and vinegar. Pour in the water and simmer gently for one hour. Transfer 1/2 cup of the broth from the pot to a small bowl and stir in the miso paste. Blend this mixture into the soup. |