Cream Of Broccoli Soup For A Healthy Gut
Dipping my rye sourdough bread in my broccoli soup - so yum! Feeds my soul, heals my gut.
Sulforaphane the magic in broccoli - Its health benefits are profound: cancer prevention and healing, heart and brain health, says bye to free radicals, and reduces inflammation. It’s a natural plant compound derived from cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and others in the family. Go green, lean and clean! It gets two giant thumbs up because of it’s antioxidants, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Sulforaphane cooked in a soup makes the broccoli more bioavailable and supports the healthy bacteria in the gut. Now we’re talking! Eat to live well! Food is medicine! Make your meals delicious, gorgeous and nutritious. Happy Gut Happy Life!
When our body has high levels of inflammation, this can also affect the function of our brain, mood and irritability. Have you ever felt depressed, moody and/or snappy when your digestive system was in disarray? I have, and it’s not fun or fair to those around you, including yourself. The brain and gastrointestinal system are so closely linked that tummy troubles can be the cause of anxiety, stress, or depression.
Sources:
Dr. Axe - clinical nutritionist, natural medicine
Dr. Daniel Amen - Amen Clinics - psychiatrist and brain disorder specialist
Harvard Health - The Gut Brain Connection
Genia’s Spoon Me Tips:
Raw food sounds exciting, enticing and inviting - but not for a digestive system that needs repair. If you need to heal your gut and increase your digestive fire than cooking, heating, steaming, and boiling your foods are more digestible, easy to break down and no bloat. Your foods only need a few minutes to cook so the veggies maintain their nutrients. Cooking veggies break down some of its fibers making it easier for the body to digest and absorb the nutrients. And, broccoli tastes so much better cooked than raw.
Coconut creme might scare you away - have no fear - fat doesn’t make you fat. Healthy fat satisfies you so you don’t over eat. Fats have essential fatty acids and are important in your diet. Fat gives us energy, protects our organs, supports cell growth, keeps blood pressure under control, and helps absorb nutrients. Let’s always remember how awesome healthy fat is for our brain, too. Please check out PubMed on line for advanced medical articles on the benefits of fat. You need fat to absorb certain vitamins: A, D and E as they are fat-soluble, which means they can only be absorbed with the help of fat. Scientists, nutritionists (some) and the consumers (some) are getting smarter with their food guidance and choices. It’s a happier, healthier and more enjoyable existence. I grew up in a European home - we had home cooked meals (thank’s mom and dad) and the only snacks we had in our pantry and fridge were fruit and peanuts (the kind you had to open to get the peanut out - what a mess, made us eat less, though). Oh ya, my father would bring home treats from for bakery - my fave was the apple danish. I can assure you there was none of the processed fake ingredients. This was the 70’s. Anyway, I probably wouldn’t eat danishes now, but a Montreal bagel hmmm! Gotta try those. They’re on another level. Dangerously addicting, I might add! Warning you!
Back to coconut cream - it nourishes the digestive lining due to its electrolytes and healthy fats, improves gut health and prevents irritable bowls. It has a thick creamy flavor and that’s one of the few reasons I used it in my soup instead of using potatoes to thicken the consistency. You can upgrade your dips, smoothies and sauces with coconut cream, too. My favorite coconut cream is made by Native Forest. It’s the best on the market and comes in the cutest 5 oz cans.
Soup is an all season experience! “Winter, Spring Summer or Fall all you have to do is call, and I’ll be there, yes I will, you got a friend!” - Carol King (my personal interpretation of Carol’s message: call out to the veggies, they’re there for you, they’re your friend, all year long - nature has you covered!
With 70% of your immune system being in your gut, what you eat really does matter. Gut health is huge - we have abused our bodies with the foods we eat and our extreme lifestyles - adding stress to our lives also affects our gut - ‘butterflies’ anyone? We’ve all felt those ‘gut sensations’. Keep stress at a minimum and choose to eat foods that heal.
Mis En Place - cooking your veggies for a short time protects their nutrients and easier to digest.
One step at a time - adding the cumin over the broccoli, onions and garlic.
One step at a time - adding the chopped spinach over the soup.
Using my immersion blender to puree my soup - easier clean up, although, using a blender will refine the puree more delicately.
Sourdough bread is holy!
Recipe
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion - chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 large head broccoli florets and stalk - cut into chunks
2 cups spinach, chopped
4 cups bone broth or vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup coconut cream - by Native Forest
Himalayan salt, black pepper and herbamare (herbed sea salt by A.Vogel) to taste
Instructions
in a large pot heat the coconut oil over medium heat
add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until onion softens and becomes translucent
add garlic for 30 seconds, stirring the pot
add broccoli, cumin, and broth or water and bring to a low boil
cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes or until broccoli is tender
add spinach and cook until wilted - than turn off heat element
time to puree your soup until it’s smooth: you can use an immersion blender, food processor or blender
stir in coconut creme
season to taste using salt, black pepper and herbamare - I tend to use a lot of all the seasonings - make it your own and begin to serve.
You did it! Enjoy your accomplishment. Easy recipe and happy gut!
Much love in and out of the pot,
Genia Taub