the pollen count

I had the idea to make a new soup every week throughout the winter. It somehow morphed into a soup cleanse, when I got sick a few weeks ago and decided to just eat soups for a while and see how I felt. Three weeks later, I am now on the Soup Cleanse bandwagon! Not only did my respiratory infection clear up in record time, I started to have more energy and felt like my “gut” was so happy. While I was sick, I craved this soup and ate it every day until it was gone and then made another batch! It just felt like the perfect healing soup, so I am calling it Healing Thai Soup (so creative). But don’t think you should only make it when you are sick. It is so good you will want to make it often 🙂

RECIPE FOR THAI HEALING SOUP

(makes about 6 – 8 big servings of soup)

This is just a general recipe for this soup.  You can add or omit vegetables, leave out the tofu, play with the spices.  It always comes out delicious, no matter what version I make!  It is so full of healing and healthy vegetables, like mushrooms, carrots, greens and sweet potatoes and the Thai spices are anti-inflammatory and very addictive!

6-8 cups vegetable stock or Thai Ginger flavored stock (available at most grocery stores)

2 cups light coconut milk (1 can)

1 TBSP organic coconut oil

1” – 2” piece of ginger (peeled)

1 clove garlic, diced

½ onion, diced

1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (if you are vegetarian/vegan get the VEGAN version, otherwise it has fish paste in it)

1 stalk lemongrass (optional: sometimes hard to find but often in herb section of market)

6 – 8 small dried shitake mushrooms or 3 – 4 large ones (shitakes are a very healing food, so don’t leave them out. You can get a small pack in most grocery stores, use entire pack).

5 or 6 fresh crimini (brown) or white mushrooms, sliced into pieces

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes (peeled & cut into cubes)

5 or 6 medium carrots, sliced into ½ ” pieces

½ package of firm tofu, cut into cubes

2 – 3 tomatoes, slices into 1” pieces

½ lb. fresh green beans, cut into 2” pieces

1 cup greens, chopped finely (kale, arugula, spinach, mustard will all work)

1 – 3 teaspoons Thai seasoning blend

Juice of 1 lime

Fresh cilantro and sliced radishes for garnish

OPTIONAL: any vegetables you might have in the fridge like: broccoli or cauliflower, fresh or frozen green peas are also great in this soup.

Soak the Shitake mushrooms in warm water

After soaking chop them and add to soup along with their liquid

Use extra firm tofu, cut into cubes

Rinse off the dried mushrooms in a colander and put in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for at least 1 hour or more.  You will drain them and use the liquid, so don’t throw it away!

Heat coconut oil in large dutch oven/soup pot and add the chopped onion, finely sliced ginger, and garlic and lemon grass, if using.  Also, curry paste and Thai seasoning.

Next add the carrots, fresh mushrooms and sweet potato and continue sautéing for a few more minutes.

Pour all the liquids into the pot and simmer for ½ hour or so, uncovered.

Remove the dried shitakes from the liquid and chop them into small pieces and add to soup pot along with their liquid.  Add the chopped greens, (also add broccoli, cauliflower, peas etc. if using,) bamboo shoots, and chopped tomatoes and continue simmering on very low heat for about 10 more minutes.

Finally, add the coconut milk, stirring well then the cubed tofu and cook for another 10 minutes, just until everything is hot. Taste and add more seasonings if desired.  I really like Thai spices so I use a lot.  A squeeze of lemon juice is good, too.  It gets even better after 24 hours.

Serve with a splash of lime juice, chopped cilantro and some thinly sliced radishes.