Cleansing Green Soup

February 11

This soup is a great winter alternative to green smoothies. It is especially nice when you want something that will warm you gently from the inside yet is also light and mildly cleansing. The recipe was inspired by a green cleanse soup I came across in The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook by Kate O’Donnell. It is great at any time of day, in a bowl, a mug, or in a glass cup so you can take in the green vibrance with all of your senses!

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk of celery, chopped. Add inner celery leaves if you have them.

3-4 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon turmeric

1-inch fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped finely

4 cups kale, remove stems, chop coarsely.

1/2 cup parsley, no stems

1 tablespoon of oil—olive oil, coconut oil or ghee

1 teaspoon sea salt

Pepper to taste

Lemon to taste

In a medium sized pot heat oil on medium for 1 minute. Add onions and sauté until they are translucent, about 3-5 minutes. 

Add celery and sauté for another 3 minutes. 

Add ginger root, turmeric, salt, pepper and 3 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add kale and parsley and simmer for 3-5 more minutes, until the greens are wilted yet still a vibrant color of green.

Remove from heat.  If using an immersion hand blender blend in the pot until smooth. If using a carafe blender add the fourth cup of vegetable broth to cool the soup before transferring liquid to the blender. Blend until smooth. 

Add a squeeze of fresh lemon to each bowl just before serving. 

Enjoy this soup with toasted seeds sunflower seeds or toasted sesame seeds.