Food Fridays: The Ultimate Immune-Boosting Soup

This month, we’ll be focusing on comforting, nutritious and immune-boosting recipes that can help you and your family stay happy and healthy this cold and flu season. As we welcome the beautiful Fall weather, we also welcome the inevitable and not-so-great colds that come with the changing seasons.

This Ultimate Immune-Boosting Soup recipe contains several ingredients known to support the immune system, including shiitake mushrooms, garlic, turmeric, bok choy and kale. These whole foods contain anti-viral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can help keep sickness at bay or help speed up the healing process.

Not only is this soup ultra nutritious – but it’s also so simple to make! Add the ingredients into a pot and simmer for an hour, and you’re good to go! It will keep well for up to 1 week in the refrigerator, making it a great meal prep recipe. It can also be easily customized and tailored to your preference with the addition of extra veggies or proteins. Try it out today!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 lb shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 12 cups water
  • 4 heads baby bok choy, bottoms chopped off
  • 1/2 head kale, chopped
  • optional: 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger

Directions: 

  1. Chop off the very bottom of the stem from your mushrooms and discard. Separate stems from tops and slice tops and remaining stems if necessary, into large pieces. You will only discard the very bottom of the stems, not the full stems as they contain many nutritional benefits!
  2. Heat up coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  3. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until translucent.
  4. Add in garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  5. Add in celery and mushrooms and saute for about 10 minutes or until mushrooms have wilted.
  6. Add in spices (including ginger, if using) and water and bring to a boil.
  7. Then let simmer, covered for 1 hour or as long as you want (the longer you leave, the better!)
  8. Add bok choy and kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking to wilt.
  9. Serve warm or store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Recipe from The Healthy Maven.