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Spring Nourishing Root Soup

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burdock and dandelion in gardenLet’s get this straight – I am not a farmer, I am a forager by nature. I get great pleasure in walking the land and finding plants to add to our meal. Yesterday, I walked the land looking to see what was peeking up through the earth. I was overjoyed to see at least six patches of stinging nettles that were ready for a light harvest. In our small herb garden, there was a second year burdock emerging and some dandelions flourishing. I decided it was time to make my Spring Nourishing Root Soup.

Spring is the perfect time to cleanse the body and detox the liver. The liver works very hard for the body. It breaks down hormones, waste products, chemicals, and toxins.  The liver regulates blood sugar levels in concert with the pancreas.  It also metabolizes carbohydrates, fats, and proteins; as well as stores many fat-soluble vitamins and iron.  The liver stores excess blood and supplies blood when there is reduced blood volume. The Spring Nourishing Root Soup is my gift to the liver, a delicious, nourishing and cleansing soup, so it can do a good job for our bodies.

Making nourishing root soup can be quite the task. The burdock is rather reluctant to leave the earth and holds on for dear life. I thought since the burdock was in the herb garden, which was weeded and disturbed, it would be easier to remove than one in an undisturbed area. There were fewer rocks for it to anchor onto, but I was very wrong. It seemed the root enjoyed the garden and grew very well and very deep. Frankly, I gave up after digging almost 2 ½ feet down with no end in sight. Hey, we didn’t need more burdock for the soup anyway.

It is important to harvest equal amounts of dandelion and burdock. Eaten alone burdock encourages the body to cleanse the body’s toxins through the skin, but when combined with dandelion toxins are released through urine. I think it is a much better way to eliminate toxins. Since, if you have too many toxins being released through your skin, it may result in pustules: yuck. Please never forget to add dandelions when eating burdock.

My Spring Nourishing Root Soup is just like my Nourishing Burdock Soup. The main ingredients are nettles, burdock, dandelion, ginger, garlic, onion, and turmeric. Now I am able to get fresh turmeric (normally I use powder) at the local health food co-op; it is a nice addition. Then I simply empty my produce bin into the pot.

Basket of nettles, burdock and dandelions

“Debbie’s Spring Nourishing Root Soup”                                                                        (portions are up to you and how much you actually want)

  • Dig up equal amounts of burdock and dandelion root (keep dandelion greens but compost burdock’s)
  • Harvest nettles
  • Sauté chopped onions in olive oil, when clear, add lots of chopped garlic, wait a couple minutes
  • Add peeled and chopped fresh ginger root, wait a couple minutes
  • Add peeled and chopped fresh turmeric root or 1 – 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, wait a couple minutes
  • After a couple of minutes add broth (veggie or chicken) or water (4 -6 cups)
  • Add cleaned and chopped roots: burdock, dandelion, beets (keep tops for later), carrots, sweet potato, potato, turnip, or whatever floats your boat (I like to add sweet veggies to balance the bitterness of the dandelion)
  • Add nettles, dandelion & beet greens
  • Bring to a boil and then simmer for at least 45 mins.
  • Put in blender or not (I blend it so Mathew eats it without picking out veggies but it tastes great either way)
  • Add 1 tsp. of miso to bowl
  • Pour soup over miso
  • ENJOY!

Mike claimed the soup I made yesterday was the best so far. I have to admit it was rather tasty. I added extra ginger and enjoyed how it worked with all the other ingredients, but did not overpower them. Mathew actually enjoyed it as well, which is a big deal, as he does not like cooked vegetables. Perhaps, it was exactly what our bodies were craving this spring. Regardless, remember to take care and nourish your liver so it can take care of you.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

 

Being Thankful

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The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving this year have been very difficult. As the world seems to be aching from all the senseless pain and suffering of far too many of our fellow humans, I’ve tried my best to focus on the positives in life. Yet I cannot seem to escape all the mindless acts of hate and racism that seem to be covering the globe. Whether it is brutal killings or rejecting the numerous Syrian refugees these violent acts have created, my heart breaks and feelings of sorrow take over my thoughts. I know I am not alone.

As a means of survival, one step I take is to limit the amount of the news and social media I engage in. Although, it is very addicting all news overwhelms my senses and leaves me crushed by the weight of despair. The negative news powerfully outweighs the good nowadays. The second and most important step is to surround myself with the good things in life. Thank goodness Thanksgiving can magically do that for us.

This year, we are again honored to cook for my octogenarian parents. As the years go by, our table continues to grow smaller, but thankfully, my Father and Mother will still take their place at the heads of the table across from each other. I will try to focus my thoughts on the blessings of my family and enjoy the stories of the past that will no doubt unfold around the table. My thoughts and prayers are always with those who are suffering and I hope better times are in store for them.

One of our favorite side dishes when I was growing up was Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow. It was made with canned candied yams, canned pineapples, spices and marshmallows. When I took over making this dish years ago, I decided to add a little spin to the dish and use fresh ingredients. I found this great recipe in Saveur Cooks American and it has become a staple at our holiday table. I think it’s a delicious improvement on an old favorite. What do you think?

YUM!

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

1⁄2 cup raisins

1⁄3 sweet sherry

3 medium organic sweet potatoes

2⁄3 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp. butter, melted

1⁄2 cup fresh orange juice

1 tsp. finely chopped organic orange zest

1 tsp. pumpkin spice (or 2⁄3 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1⁄4 tsp. ground ginger, pinch ground nutmeg, and pinch ground allspice)

1⁄2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1 cup pineapple cubes, coarsely chopped

1 1⁄2 cups miniature marshmallows

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°. Soak raisins in sherry until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain raisins and transfer to a large bowl.
  • Meanwhile, bake sweet potatoes until tender, about 40 minutes. I like to throw them in the oven while the turkey is roasting (hey, the oven is already on, might as well capitalize on it). Allow potatoes to cool, then peel, mash up (I like them a little chunky). Add raisins, brown sugar, butter, orange juice, orange zest, and pumpkin spice and mix well. Fold in pecans and pineapple and transfer to an 8” square baking dish.
  • Bake casserole for 20 minutes, then cover with marshmallows and bake until marshmallows are golden, about 5 minutes more. Serve warm.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

May there be peace on earth in our times.