Nourishing Vegetable and Lentil Soup

Nourishing Vegetable & Lentil Soup

This nourishing vegetable and lentil soup is the perfect winter-warmer: I usually make it at least once a week and it eat it for days (reheated tastes even better).

This perfect winter-warmer is a winner for every dosha, simply follow the dosha adjustments below. This soup is fully packed with proteins. It’s giving you an amino-acid boost that bolsters your tissues and strengthens your immune system. Plus, a powerhouse of spices deliver antioxidants and anti-inflammatarory compounds: to let you fly with ease through the cold and flu season. Additional shitake mushrooms also provide this soup with a great earthy flavour and slightly ‘meaty’ texture.

Native to Asia, shitake mushrooms have gained widespread popularity across the world. They are the third most cultivated mushroom on the planet today. This isn’t surprising as shitake mushrooms boost quite the nutritional profile. They contain Vitamin D, Copper, Selenium, Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Folate (B9) and B12 amongst others. But that’s not all. Shitake mushrooms are also said to have antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties. They are also said to be potent in fighting inflammations and helping in keeping your blood sugar stable.

Shitake mushrooms also deliver immune-modulating beta-glucans. Beta-glucans activate immune cells, increase antibody production, increase viral-inhibiting proteins and in short, they are great anti-cancer preventatives.

What more can you want from your soup?!

ayurveda

Feeling Vata: This soup is great for you. Swap brown lentils for red lentils for easier digestion and less bloating or gas.

Feeling Pitta: If your pitta is high swap potatoes with sweet potatoes and leave out the hot stuff such as paprika, cayenne and use less or no garlic. Skip the tomato paste.

Feeling Kapha: This is a great dish for you if you simply use a little bit less of the lentils and instead use more of the vegetables. All spices are great for Kapha, so go ahead and season well with the spices recomended in this recipe. Especially cayenne is great to boost Kapha’s sluggish metabolism.
Avoid the lemon in the end and go easy on the salt! Voila!

Weekly Recipe

Nourishing Vegetable & Lentil Soup

Yield: 1 pot

Nourishing Vegetable and Lentil Soup

Nourishing Vegetable and Lentil Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • half a red onion, chopped
  • 2 x garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 x celery stalks, chopped
  • 3 x medium sized carrots, chopped
  • 1 x and a half cougette, choppedĀ 
  • 2 x medium sized potatoes, chopped into small cubes
  • 150g shitake mushrooms (optional)
  • 1.5 x tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 x Litre vegetable stock / bouillon (yeast free, without added fats)
  • 1.5 cups brown lentils (alternatively use red lentils)
  • 1/2 x teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 x teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 x teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika powder
  • 1 x teaspoon of coriander seeds, ground in pestle & mortar
  • one pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 x bay leaf
  • 1 x tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 x handful of parsley, chopped
  • 2 x handfuls of spinach, washed and trimmed
  • black pepper and salt for seasoning
  • juice from half a lemon

Instructions

  1. If you are using dry shitake mushrooms, ensure that you soak them in water before cooking for usually 5-8 hours (according to pack).
  2. Add the olive oil to a large stock pot. Heat slowly on a very low heat setting, then add the onions and the garlic. Stir with a wooden spoon for a while. Add the cinnamon, cumin, turmeric and add a little salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Grind the coriander seeds in a pestle & mortar and add as well.
  3. Stir the spices well into the oil and onion mix, until you you have a nice oily mix. Keep heating on low until the onions and garlic become fragrant and slightly translucent.
  4. Add the potatoe cubes and carrots, and stir into the onion spice mix. Heat up to a medium heat and keep stirring for about 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are nicely coated in spices and oil.
  5. Add the courgette and celery pieces and stir in to the mix for 1 minute. If the mix is to dry add a little water if need be.
  6. Now add the lentils. Stir well into the vegetable and spice mix.
  7. Add the paprika and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute.
  8. Add the 1.5 Liters of vegetable stock. It should be enough stock in the pot that the vegetables and lentils are well covered (the lentils will soak up a lot of water during cooking). Add more water if not covered enough.
  9. Add the bay leaves.
  10. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
  11. Add the shitake mushrooms if using.
  12. Cook for another 20 minutes (unil the lentils are nice, soft and mushy and the vegetables are soft and tender, if not simply cook a bit longer until the soup has a nice consistency to your liking).
  13. Stir in the spinach and half of the chopped parsley, simmer for a another few minutes until the spinach is wilted and cooked to your liking.
  14. Squeeze half a lemon and stir through the soup.
  15. Take off the heat and season with salt and pepper.
  16. Serve and garnish with the left-over parsley, some vegan plant-based yoghurt,and if you're a Kapha type, some chillies and cherry tomatoes go a long way!

Notes

This soup is also delicious with some black beans or chickpeas additional or instead off the brown lentils if you're a pitta or a kapha type. Vata's better stay clear of too many legumes or beans.


This Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl herbal porridge

Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl – Green Godess

What is Kola Kanda?

This Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl is a traditional Sri Lankan herbal porridge hailed for its nutritious and medicinal powers.

Kola Kanda (from the leaf Gotu Kola ‘Kanda’), is a traditional Sri Lankan herbal porridge, hailed for its nutritious and medicinal powers.
Gotu Kola, also known as the ‘herb of longevity’ is a staple in Ayurvedic, Chinese and Indonesian medicine.
Gotu Kola can heal skin issues, to boost circulation (to the brain and extremities). It is thus improving brain power and concentration.
Gotu Kola also promotes liver and kidney health.

In Sri Lanka ‘Kola Kanda’ people consume this soup as a nutritious ‘drink’ for breakfast. Sri Lankan’s prepare this dish to provide healing and to prevent disease.

If you don’t have fresh gotu kola to hand, you can sub with watercress, lambs lettuce or coriander. You can also buy dried gotu kola leaves online and add a teaspoon or two to the porridge made with watercress. Gotu Kola is balancing for all three doshas, predominantly kapha and pitta.

ayurveda

Feeling Vata: This is a great breakfast for you. You do well on all kinds of rice, and the greens mentioned here are fine for you too. If feeling very Vata add a bit of coconut oil before serving and season well with salt and pepper. You’ll enjoy the maple or date syrup.

Feeling Pitta: Gotu Kola is a great cooling herb for Ptta. Traditionally Gotu Kola was used to stop bleeding from high Pitta. Enjoy the cooling greens in this recipee and feel free to add more!

Feeling Kapha: This is great breakfast for your dosha. Gotu Kola tastes bitter and astringent, which is perfect to balance out Kapha’s sweet and heavy nature. Go easy on the syrups or leave out completly.

Weekly Recipe

Green Godess – Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl

Kola Kanda (from the leaf Gotu Kola ‘Kanda’), is a traditional Sri Lankan herbal porridge, hailed for its nutritious and medicinal powers.

Yield: 1 Bowl

Greeny Goodness - Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl

This Sri Lankan Kola Kanda Bowl herbal porridge

Kola Kanda (from the leaf Gotu Kola 'Kanda'), is a traditional Sri Lankan herbal porridge, hailed for its nutritious and medicinal powers. Gotu Kola, also known as the 'herb of longevity' is a staple in Ayurvedic, Chinese and Indonesian medicine. Gotu Kola has been proven to heal skin issues, to boost circulation (to the brain and extremities) and thus improving brain power and concentration. It also promotes liver and kidney health. In Sri Lanka 'Kola Kanda' is consumed as a nutritious 'drink' for breakfast: a nourishing mushy soup full of gotu kola leaves, providing healing and prevention of disease. If you don't have fresh gotu kola to hand, you can sub with watercress, lambs lettuce or coriander. You can also buy dried gotu kola leaves online and add a teaspoon or two to the porridge made with watercress. Gotu Kola is balancing for all three doshas, predominantly kapha and pitta.

Ingredients

  • 50g white basmati rice
  • 150ml water for cooking rice
  • 1 x pinch of asafoetida or 1/2 clove of garlic
  • 1 cup of fresh gotu kola leaf (if you don't have access to gotu kola leaf you can substitute with 1 x cup of watercress, lambs lettuce or fresh coriander)
  • 50ml almond milk (try and find plant milk without any additional fats added such as sunflower oils - not good for your health!)
  • sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
  • Maple or date syrup to taste (if on a cleanse skip the syrup. If you need something sweet top with raw honey - but raw is a must on a cleanse).Ā 

Instructions

  1. First, wash and rinse the rice at least three times.
  2. Add the rice to a pot and add the water.
  3. Add the asafoetida or garlic. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
  4. Simmer on a medium heat until the rice is cooked and very soft, so you can cook the rice a little longer than usual (10-15 minutes). You want a nice mushy consistency.
  5. In the meantime chop the gotu kola (or lamb's lettuce, watercress etc.) and mix with some water and the plant milk. Mix until you have a consistency that you like. I usually put it in my Vitamix and blend it for a few seconds on a high speed with the milk and a little water.
  6. Once the rice is nice and mushy, take it off the heat.
  7. Now mix in the green smoothie with the rice. Give it a good stir.
  8. Then put the pot back on the stove and get it to a simmer for a few minutes.
  9. Season with salt and pepper.
  10. Add more water if you like a thinner texture, and if you like it sweet, serve with maple or date syrup.
  11. Garnish with herbs of your choice!

warm amaranth breakfast bowl with apples and raisins

Warming Amaranth Bowl With Apples & Raisins

If oats, millet and Co. are not for you, or you simply want a bit of a change to your morning breakfast routine, try out some amaranth porridge for breakfast. It’s light and dry nature makes it an ideal grain for the Kapha dosha.
Amaranth ‘s astringent taste helps to dry up excess dampness and mucus in Kapha’s system. This benefits the lungs and respiratory system. Amaranth is completly gluten free. It also has a cooling effect on hot Pitta types. Vata’s should avoid Amaranth as it’s too light for already light and airy Vata.
Amaranth is very high in protein (30% more protein than rice), and contains four times as much calcium as wheat. It is also high in magnesium and manganese. Amaranth’s astringent taste is often balanced with oily, sweet, sour and salty ingredients. Vata’s can try this breakfast by adding plenty of coconut or olive oil, and adding sweet fruits, and salt for example.

Feeling Vata: you can try if this recipee works for you by adding coconut oil or olive oil, adding more salt and adding plenty of soaked raisins, figs or dates, and more of the sweet apple. Or simply cook this recipee but use oats instead of the amaranth.

Feeling Pitta: this is a great breakfast for you as amaranth is pacifying for Pittas. Raisins and sweet apples work well for you too, so it’s a WINNER!

Feeling Kapha: amaranth’s astringent nature is a superb psydo-grain for Kapha’s as it drys up excess mucus and helps remove Kapha’s excess dampness. Apples and raisins are fine for you too.

Weekly Recipe

Warming Amaranth Bowl with Apples & Raisins

Yield: 1 Bowl

Warming Amaranth Bowl with Apples & Raisins

warm amaranth breakfast bowl with apples and raisins

If oats, millet and Co. are not for you, or you simply want a bit of a change to your morning breakfast routine, try out some amaranth porridge for breakfast. It's light and dry nature makes it an ideal grain for the Kapha dosha.
Amaranth 's astringent taste helps to dry up excess dampness and mucus in Kapha's system. This benefits the lungs and respiratory system. Amaranth is completly gluten free. It also has a cooling effect on hot Pitta types. Vata's should avoid Amaranth as it's too light for already light and airy Vata.
Amaranth is very high in protein (30% more protein than rice), and contains four times as much calcium as wheat. It is also high in magnesium and manganese. Amaranth's astringent taste is often balanced with oily, sweet, sour and salty ingredients. Vata's can try this breakfast by adding plenty of coconut or olive oil, and adding sweet fruits, and salt for example.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 x cup amaranth, soaked in water over night
  • 1 x full apple, diced
  • 1/2 x teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 x cup raisins, soaked over night
  • 1/4 x teaspoon salt
  • 1 x cup of water
  • maple syrup to serve
  • fresh figs or other fruit to garnish

Instructions

  1. Chop the apple into small pieces.
  2. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of water in a medium sized sauce pan.
  3. Add the cardamom and cinnamom and mix well with the water.
  4. Then add all remaining ingredients (apart from the water) and mix well, whilst still heating on a medium heat.
  5. Then add the water and bring to the boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the amaranth becomes light and fluffy. Keep stirring every now and then, as amaranth can stick and burn quickly at the bottom of the pan!
  6. Serve with extra cinnamon, maple syrup, and garnish with fresh figs or other stewed or fresh fruit.


Gut Healing Turmeric & Mushroom Curry Soup

Get stuck into a bowl of bubbling, warming, yellow-goodness
and enjoy the healing powers of turmeric, ginger and shitake mushrooms.

This healthy but yet tasty yummy broth will help your body fight bacteria and inflammation, boost your immune system,
and to keep those pesky bugs at bay (always good in a corona crisis!).

Weekly Recipe

Gut Healing Turmeric and Mushroom Curry Soup

Yield: One Large Pot of Broth

Gut Healing Turmeric & Mushroom Curry Soup

Gut Healing Turmeric & Mushroom Curry Soup

Inflammation calming, immune-boosting, gut healing yellow turmeric curry soup.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp sesame oil (leave out if on a cleanse, or if this is your evening meal, leave in).
  • half a shallot, chopped finely
  • 1 tsp anisseed
  • 1 tablespoon thai yellow curry paste (try and find a curry paste without added fats, maltodextrin, natural or unnatural flavourings, etc.)
  • 1 thumb size knob of fresh turmeric, sliced finely. If you haven't got fresh, use 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 thumb-size knob fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, grind small in a pestle and mortar
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 bok choi, choppedĀ 
  • 1 zuchini, chopped
  • 200g shitake mushrooms, fresh or dried (important if dried: soak at least for 5 hours beforehand. If you can't get hold of shitake, brown button mushrooms work as a replacement)
  • toasted sesame seeds to garnish
  • 1.5 liter vegetable stock
  • 6 tbsp cocos aminos or lupin sauce, or both, depends how strong you like your flavouring.
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • juice of 1 lime (if you haven't got limes lemon juice works ok as well)
  • handful of fresh coriander, chopped
  • gluten free brown rice noodles, cooked to your liking
  • toasted sesame seeds or toasted nuts of your choice to garnish (leave out nuts and seeds if on a cleanse)
  • spinach or other leaves to garnish

Instructions

  1. Grab a large stock pot, and add about 3 tablespoons of water to the bottom.
  2. Add the sesame oil and place cooker on a low heat (skip this step if on a cleanse).
  3. Add the chopped shallot, minced ginger and chopped garlic. Mix well with the oil and the water. Add the yellow curry paste. Keep heat on a low setting and cook for 5-10 minutes, until onion is translucent and onion and garlic flavourful.
  4. Add the anisseeds, turmeric, thyme and fennel and mix in well. Up cooker to a medium heat and cook for another 5 minutes stirring frequently.
  5. Add the sliced celery and zuchini, stirr in well with the onion spice mixture and cook on medium heat for a few minutes.
  6. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
  7. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
  8. Add mushrooms and cocos aminos. Cook for another 10 minutes.
  9. Add the sliced bok choi, the lime juice and half of the coriander and cook for another 5 minutes.
  10. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Depending on what you used (cocos aminos, lupin sauce, or both), taste the broth and add more of what you feel is needed. I usually can't get enough of the cocos amino taste so I always add a bit more of that at the end.
  11. Serve the soup over gluten free brown rice noodles (or any other asian style noodles of your chosing), sprinkle with the rest of the coriander and top with sesame seeds, nuts or chilli flakes.
  12. Enjoy!

Healing & Nourishing Asian Style Broth

This is my go-to soup recipee when I simply need something warming, nourishing, and simply healing:
when you had a stressfull day, when you are feeling run down or when your boss has just simply driven you up the wall:
This broth will pick you up, give you a hug and will fill you with a
warm feeling telling you that everything, really, is ok.

Particularly good for people with digestive issues
and sensitive bellies (bloating, gas, etc.), this recipe is a winner.
Fennel and anissed will soothe your digestion and flush out toxins,
garlic will help to clear your mucus membranes and kill of any pathogens,
and plenty of greens assist in moving foods through your sensitive digestive tract.
You can replace the vegetables used in this recipee with anything you might prefer.
Choose any leafy greens of your choice, and along the zuchini,
try it with added carrots, sweet potatoes or any other root vegetable.

This soup always works in any combo!

Picture credit: Mae Mu 

Weekly Recipe

Asian Style Healing Broth

Yield: 1 Pot of Broth

Healing & Nourishing Asian Style Broth

Healing & Nourishing Asian Style Broth

This is my go-to soup recipee when I simply need something warming, nourishing, and simply healing:when you had a stressfull day, when you are feeling run down or when your boss has just simply driven you up the wall:This broth will pick you up, give you a hug and will fill you with a warm feeling telling you that everything, really, is ok. Particularly good for peope with digestive issues and sensitive bellies (bloating, gas, etc.), this recipe is a winner. Fennel and anissed will soothe your digestion and flush out toxins, garlic will help to clear your mucus membranes and kill of any pathogens, and plenty of greens assist in moving foods through your sensitive digestive tract.You can replace the vegetables used in this recipee with anything you might prefer. Choose any leafy greens of your choice, and along the zuchini, try it with added carrots, sweet potatoes or any other root vegetable.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil (leave out if on a cleanse, or ok for the evening meal).
  • 3 shallots diced (or use half a red onion instead)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1.5 litre vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp aniseeds (grind in pestle and mortar)
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds (grind in a pestle and mortar)
  • 4 x tablespoons cocos aminos (or lupin sauce or both).
  • 2 tsbp miso (I use soya free miso made from lupins)
  • 1.5 heads bok choi OR kale OR chard OR substitue any other green leaf of your choice
  • 1 zuchini, chopped
  • juice of half a lemon
  • half a fennel bulb, sliced
  • 1 pack of rice noodles
  • sesame flakes for topping
  • red pepper flakes for topping

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive in a large stockpot over medium heat.
  2. To the oil, add the diced shallots and mix well.
  3. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the shallots turn translucent and turn to soften. Stir often.
  4. Add the minced garlic and minced ginger to the shallots and mix. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until garlic and ginger are fragrant.
  5. Add the ground anise and fennel seeds to the onion mix, stir and cook until lightly toasted (1-2 minutes)
  6. Then add the chopped fennel and coat the fennel pieces evenly in the onion and ginger mix.
  7. Then add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Add the cocos aminos and the miso, and stirr everything well to combine, then add the chopped courgette.
  8. Cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
  9. Afterward add the bok choi (or other leafy green) and the rice noodles. Cook everything for a further 5-8 minutes (until the vegetables are tender and the noodles are cooked through). Add the juice of half the lemon, stirr in, then turn off the heat and leave for 1-2 minutes to sit before you serve.
  10. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Divide soup between bowls and season with toasted sesame seeds and red pepper flakes if you wish.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Amount Per Serving Saturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0g

Please note that nutrition information is based on averages and can therefor not always be accurate.


Cardamomy Nutty Choc Chip Cookies – vegan, gluten free – YUM!

Ok, I have to admit… I have an addiction… it’s a bad one, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop:

I confess: I am addicted to cookies.
Yes, you heard right: C O O K I E S!
There’s just nothing better than sitting down in the afternoon,
after you’ve done most of your day’s work, making yourself a
big milky chai tea and dipping a fat big
choc chip cookie into it, while you sit back and R E L A X!

As I love incorportating herbs and spices into my foods for healing purposes,
and simply because it makes everything taste just so much better,
these little munchkins here (see recipe below)
are spiked with delicious cardamom and satisfying cinnamon goodness.

Get baking and enjoy!

Picture credit: SJ Baren

Weekly Recipe

Yield: 14

Cardamomy Nutty Choc Chip Cookies- vegan, gluten free

Cardamomy Nutty Choc Chip Cookies- vegan, gluten free

Delicious nutty cardamomy choc chip cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 2 cups glutenfree oat flour
  • 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup dairy free chocolate chips
  • 2 tsbp plant milk of your choice, I used oat milk
  • 3 tsbp plant oil, I used olive oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 C degrees.
  2. Combine all the dry ingredients plus spices in a bowl and mix well.
  3. Stir in the wet ingredients and form a dough. It'll probably be quite dry at first, so keep stirring (or kneeding with your hands) until a dough is formed. If the dough is too crumbly, add a little bit extra of the milk, until you have a nice smooth and sticky cookie dough consistency.
  4. Once the dough is nice and sticky, form dough balls. You should get about 12 - 14 cookies out of this mixture, or less if you form bigger cookies.
  5. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper and place the cookies with tray in the oven. Bake for about 20 min.
  6. The cookies will still seem a little soft when you take them out. Let them cool for a least 10 minutes on the tray before you touch them.
  7. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information


Amount Per Serving Trans Fat 0g

Please note that nutrition information is based on averages and can therefor not always be accurate.