Soup in the summer may seem counterintuitive, however from an Ayurvedic perspective, our bodies when hot on the house side, cool down on the inside and so does our agni/digestive power. We also tend to overload our systems with raw food (harder to break down and therefore to absorb the nutrient value of our food), grilled food (drying cooking methods, create internal dryness) and cocktails (gives our bodies more to detoxify).
Soup is the perfect antidote. It supplies dense nutrition, moisture and give your digestive system a break as everything is warm and precooked, allowing for higher bioavialability of nutrients.
Two of the recipes here have protein and grains, supplying all your amino acids for a full protein source. For the green soup, I have added sprouted mung as a topping, with the millet this makes it a full protein also.
Mr. B doesn’t like broth, so I tend to give him more of the bulky content, or sometimes add some bread to the soup to soak the liquid up.
I am giving you three recipes to tide you over till I return in September. Till then, catch me on the plant.to.table Instagram account.
Spring greens soup (Gluten Free, Vegan)
This is from Divya Alter’s book, ‘what to eat for how you feel’. It’s a healing summer soup. Light and delicious.
Ingredients
Serving: 2-3
- 1 tbsp, plus 1 tsp. ghee or oil, divided
- ½ tsp. black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp. ground turmeric
- 4 tbsp. millet
- 2 tsp. soma salt
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 4 cups washed and thinly sliced spring greens: dandelion greens, nettles, chard, spinach, beet greens or other
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- Garnish with black pepper, micro greens and/or sprouted mung
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp. ghee or oil in a 3-quart saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the mustard seeds and toast until they start to pop. Add the coriander, turmeric, millet and salt, mix and toast for c. 30 seconds. Add the hot stock.
- Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes till the millet is cooked
- In the meanwhile, heat 1 tsp. ghee oil in a medium frying pan and add the greens with a little salt. Sauté for a few minutes, till wilted but still vibrant green. Set aside and add to the soup when the grains are cooked.
- Add the lime juice, pepper and adjust for seasoning
Ayurvedic Minestrone (Gluten Free, Vegan)
This revipe is from one of Divya’s Culinary School classes. It is extremely nourishing and filling.
Ingredients
Serving: 5-6 servings
- ½ cup chickpeas (green lentils or adzuki beans)
- ¼ cup cooked quinoa
- 2.5 tsp. salt, divided
- 2 tbsp. olive oil or ghee
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbsp. ginger, chopped
- 1/8 tsp. asafoetida
- 1 cup peeled and chopped sweet potato or taro root (1/2- inch pieces)
- 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
- 1 cup peeled and diced carrots (1/4 inch)
- ½ cup diced celery (1/4 inch)
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 tbsp. tamarind pulp
- 1 cup diced zucchini
Method
- In a 2-quart saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add 1 tsp. of salt and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes. Set them aside.
- Meanwhile, in a 6-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over a low heat. Add the ginger, cumin and asafoetida, then potato, cabbage, carrots and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. add the dried basil oregano, tamarind pulp and remaining 1.5 tsp. salt. Add 4 cups of water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the zucchini and cooked chickpeas and quinoa and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add more water if you prefer the soup brothy.
- Garnish with basil leaves, micro basil or basil oil, lime and a few sprinkles of pepper.
- Serve hot.
Ayurvedic white bean soup (Gluten Free, Vegan)
This is a traditional Tuscan white bean soup recipe that I adapted to become Ayurvedic. It’s tasty and hearty.
Ingredients
Serving: 3-4 servings
- 1 cup small white beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 3 cup buckwheat groats
- 2.5 tsp. salt, divided
- 2 tbsp. olive oil or ghee
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. ground coriander
- ½ tsp. asafoetida
- 1 cup peeled and diced carrots (1/4 inch)
- ½ cup diced celery (1/4 inch)
- ½-1 cup fennel (1/4 inch)
- 1 tbsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tbsp. tamarind pulp
- 2 cup diced zucchini
- 2 cups fresh spinach
Method
- In a 2-quart saucepan, cover the white beans with 2 inches of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add 1 tsp. of salt and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes. Set them aside.
- Meanwhile, in a 6-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over a low heat. Add the cumin coriander, carrots, celery and fennel. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the buckwheat, dried basil oregano, tamarind pulp and remaining 1.5 tsp. salt. Add 6 cups of water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the zucchini and cooked white beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add more water if you prefer the soup brothy.
- Garnish with basil leaves, micro basil or basil oil, lime and a few sprinkles of pepper.
- Serve hot.
