Wellness Soup

This soup is my go-to soup when I am feeling under the weather with symptoms such as feeling cold, chills, body aches, runny nose (clear or white), diarrhea, and/ or a mild cough. These "cold" symptoms mean the body needs to get warmed up.

In Oriental Medicine white fleshed vegetables are associated with the Lungs. The TCM Lungs are responsible for regulating the immune system. This soup is full of white fleshed vegetables- daikon radish, parsnips, rutabaga, onion, garlic, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms! The acrid flavor of onions and garlic help to “release the pathogen”, while the vegetables nourish and heal. The warming nature of the garlic, onion, bone broth and the longer cooking time warm the body which is important when you “catch a cold”. Get it? We have to warm up and get the cold out! Very important!

Many people do not notice the vegetables on the top shelf in the produce section! I find daikon radish, parsnips, and rutabaga at Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, and other local grocery stores on the upper shelves in the produce cooler (where the carrots, lettuce, etc. are located). Shiitake mushrooms can be purchased fresh or dried. If using dried shiitake mushrooms make sure to rehydrate in water before adding to this soup.

Homemade bone broth is super simple in the crockpot or pressure cooker! Check out my recipe homemade bone broth here. I find it to be cheaper and healthier than purchasing prepackaged broth in the store but in a pinch store bought is still beneficial!

Temperature: Warming

Flavor: Acrid, sweet

Actions: Releases the exterior, drains damp, warms channels

Organs: Lungs, Spleen, Stomach, Liver

Use: Common Cold (feel cold, chills, body aches, headache), phlegm in nose and/ or throat, cough, intestinal dryness (hard stool, constipation)

*Caution: Do not use this recipe if you are experiencing excessive sweating 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Avocado Oil

• 1⁄2 cup Daikon Radish, diced

• 1 cup Rutabaga, diced

• 1⁄2 cup Parsnip, chopped

• 1⁄2 Sweet Onion, diced

• 2 large Carrots, chopped

• 2 ribs Celery, chopped

• 2 cloves Garlic, minced

• 1 inch knob fresh Ginger, peeled

• 1⁄2 cup Shitake mushrooms, sliced or diced (dried or fresh)

• 1 tsp Thyme

• 2 tbsp Coconut Amino or Tamari

• 8 cup Chicken or Beef Bone Broth

• Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparations

1. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak mushrooms in warm water for 15-20 minutes. 

2. In a large pot, add oil and sauté onion and garlic over medium heat until onions are translucent. 

3. Add daikon radish, rutabaga, and parsnip, and sauté́ for 3 minutes. 

4. Add ginger, bone broth, thyme, coconut amino (or tamari), salt, and pepper). 

5. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer.

6. Cover with lid and simmer soup for 20 minutes.  

7. Add Shiitake mushrooms and simmer for 10 more minutes uncovered.

8. Veggies should be fork tender when done.

Enjoy!