Immune Support Soup

Soup during wintertime isn't just a good idea. Intentional ingredients can make a difference in supporting the body's immune system.

HERBAL MEDICINENUTRITIONRECIPES

12/15/20232 min read

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup leeks, chopped
3 tbsp grated fresh ginger root (or as little as 1 tsp)
5 cloves garlic, chopped or sliced (divided)
2 quarts (8 cups) miso, chicken, vegetable or mushroom broth (or water)
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 cup carrots, cut into ¼ inch rounds
1 cup celery, sliced
½ tsp grey or pink sea salt
¼ cup fresh, minced parsley
½ cup fresh basil, freshly chopped
1 tbsp of each oregano, thyme, and rosemary, chopped*
1 bay leaf, whole
pepper to flavor
2 cups kale, washed and torn
1 cup snow peas or green beans, chopped
Add cooked chicken if desired, 8 drumsticks (bone in, gives added immune value)

*If these herbs are unavailable fresh, then use 1 tsp of each dried. Look for fresh herbs whenever possible.

Instructions

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, 3 chopped garlic cloves, ginger and leeks. Cook until softened – about 3 minutes.
Add chopped vegetables, salt, stock and bay leaf. Add drumsticks. Increase temperature to high, bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cook for approximately 30 minutes until vegetables soften, but aren’t mushy.
Stir the kale, peas, fresh herbs, 2 cloves of fresh finely chopped garlic into the soup. Simmer for another few minutes to blend flavors and soften kale. Adding these ingredients at the end ensures that the veggies are bright green and the garlic is providing maximum immune benefits

A bowl of immune boosting soup can help the body fight infection. During infection, mucus can thicken and encourage growth of viruses and bacteria. Hot soup thins this mucus. Soup is also hydrating and full of electrolytes and minerals that boost your immune system.

Shiitake mushrooms contain lentinan, an active compound that can boost your immune system to fight infections.
Rosemary, thyme and oregano contain essential oils that are anti-viral and anti-bacterial.
Real chicken stock made with bones contains B vitamins (in the marrow), calcium, magnesium and zinc – all essential for immunity.
Kale, leeks, peas and beans contain B vitamins for energy, nerve and adrenal support.
Carrots provide beta-carotene (precursor to Vitamin A) to assist the lungs in fighting off infections.
Ginger and garlic are powerful anti-inflammatories and immune-supportive spices. You will notice this soup has triple the spices of a standard soup – feel free to add more. The active ingredient in garlic and onions is allicin. Allicin is a natural antibiotic. Don’t hold back on the garlic in order to get the therapeutic effects.