 It’s pouring sideways rain here in Bellingham, the perfect weather for a light pumpkin soup. I have been yearning for the Fall and all the bits of cozy that comes with it. Although I love salads, soups are a wonderful way to eat your veggies while also supporting digestion. Raw veggies are one of the hardest foods to digest, especially if you are not taking the time to chew them well. Therefore, soups can be an excellent meal for anyone struggling to optimally digest their foods. Soups are much easier for the stomach to breakdown because the ingredients are soft and tender. This is especially true if you make a pureed soup like this pumpkin soup. Usually, the stomach churns our food with stomach acid to make a liquidy soup called chyme. However, when the food is already pureed, the stomach has little work to do. Therefore, soups are a wonderful meal for anyone who has increased healing needs or has digestive concerns because the nutrients are much easier absorbed. For this recipe I used a pie pumpkin (or otherwise known as sugar pie pumpkin), but you can choose whatever winter squash you have on hand. I also used homemade bone broth, rich in flavor and nutrition. I do not skim the fat because the fat provides flavor and increases the absorption of the beta-carotene in the pumpkin flesh. If you are using store bought bone broth (Bonafide is a great option) it is fat free, and therefore I would suggest adding organic heavy cream or full fat coconut milk to your liking.
Bone broth is an excellent choice to increase the protein content of otherwise a low protein meal. Rich in collagen, bone broth helps support the healing and repair of connective tissues (think, gut lining, bone, tendons, hair, skin, nails). Along with ample amounts of prebiotic fiber rich onions and garlic this pureed soup also supports the growth of good gut bacteria. If you want, you can even roast the pumpkin seeds for little salty and nutritious snack. Simply preheat the oven to 400 degrees, rinse the seeds under water to remove excess pumpkin fibers, and lay on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spray with extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, and your choice of spices. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Voila, now you have a nourishing soup and a tasty snack! Simple Gingered Pumpkin Soup Serves 4 INGREDIENTS 1 small pie pumpkin (got mine at TJs) 1 large yellow onion 3-4 cloves garlic 3 inches ginger root 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 cups homemade bone broth (see note above if using store bought) 2-3 T honey 2 T apple cider vinegar 3/4 tsp sea salt (adjust as needed) Fresh ground pepper Pinch chili flakes DIRECTIONS Quarter the pumpkin, scoop out seeds (roast if desired), and place into a pot filled with some water and a steamer basket. Steam, covered, over medium heat for about 15-20min or until tender. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion, garlic, and ginger. In a soup pot add a glug of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the chopped veggies over medium low until glassy and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the steamed pumpkin flesh (leave skin behind), and add the bone broth. Cover and cook over medium low for another 10 minutes. Once ready, using an immersion blender, puree the soup to your liking. Season with honey, vinegar, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Adjust seasonings to your liking. Note: If you want to keep the recipe vegetarian, simply use vegetable broth (may need to adjust salt down because most store bought vegetable broths are pre-salted), and add coconut milk or heavy cream for creaminess and flavor. Happy Fall,
Selva
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Although most Americans may be weirded out by chicken feet, many cultures use chicken feet as part of their home cooking. Since feet are really high in connective tissue, they make a very gelatinous broth, more so than beef bones. If you want that jelly...then make chicken feet broth! If you are feeling a cold or flu coming on, needing extra collagen for healing after surgery or birth, or are wanting to boost your skin health, then drinking homemade bone broth can help.
Makes 8-10 servings Time: 6-8 hours or more INGREDIENTS 2lbs chicken feet (I buy mine from Osprey Hill Farms) 1 whole onion, cut in half (keep peel on) 1 leek 1/2 small celeriac root 2 carrots (cut in half) 1/2 bunch parsley 2 cloves garlic 1 thumb length ginger root 1 sprig rosemary (or 2-3 sprigs thyme) 1 bay leaf 10-15 peppercorns Splash apple cider vinegar DIRECTIONS Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken feet to the pot and boil for 5 minutes. Strain the chicken feet and briefly rinse under cold water. Using scissors, cut the nails off at the first joint. This is done very easily, you don't need special kitchen shears for this. Meanwhile, sear the onion face side down in a skillet until browned. Place the feet, seared onion and all the rest of the ingredients into a pot (or slow cooker) and cover with filtered water. Bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to low. Allow to very gently simmer for at least 4 hours, preferably 6-10. If using a slow cooker, put heat on low for 10 hours. Use only what is needed from the base pot of bone broth for soups or simply for drinking. Season that separately with salt, bouillon and/or dulse flakes. Pour more fresh filtered water into the bone broth pot to replace what has been taken out. Continue to simmer. Repeat this until the broth lacks flavor. Alternatively, you can transfer all of the bone broth into glass mason jars and freeze what is not needed for immediate use. For individuals with IBS & SIBO: If you want to make a Low FODMAP alternative simply omit the garlic and onion, and use only the green parts of the leek. Keep in mind some individuals with SIBO do not tolerate collagen rich broth. Use small amounts as tolerated.
Collagen Rich Beef Bone Broth
Bone broth is such a nourishing food. Rich in collagen proteins and electrolytes, this broth is great for postpartum recovery, after surgery, for gut healing, and simply as a protein rich (and very flavorful) alternative for store bought stocks. You can use whatever veggies and spices you have on hand. That is the beauty of bone broth. It can be as simple or complex as you want. Veggie scraps also work great! Makes 6-8 servings Time: 6-10 hours (or more) INGREDIENTS 2-3lbs grass fed beef marrow bones (I buy mine from Skiyou Ranch) 1 whole onion, cut in half (keep peel on) 1 leek 1/2 small celeriac root 2 carrots (cut in half) 2 cloves garlic 10-15 peppercorns 2 juniper berries 2 cloves 1 bay leaf 1/2 bunch parsley Splash apple cider vinegar DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 425. Roast bones for 20 minutes or until browned. Meanwhile, sear the onion face side down in a skillet until browned, and pierce the bay leaf with cloves to the onion. Place the bones, seared onion and all the rest of the ingredients into a pot (or slow cooker) and cover with filtered water. Bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to low. Allow to very gently simmer for at least 4 hours, preferably 6-10. If using a slow cooker, put heat on low for 10 hours. Use only what is needed from the base pot of bone broth for soups or simply for drinking. Season that separately with salt, bouillon and/or dulse flakes. Pour more fresh filtered water into the bone broth pot to replace what has been taken out. Continue to simmer. Repeat this until the broth lacks flavor. Alternatively, you can transfer all of the bone broth into glass mason jars and freeze what is not needed for immediate use. For individuals with IBS & SIBO: If you want to make a Low FODMAP alternative simply omit the garlic and onion, and use only the green parts of the leek. You can add some fresh ginger root in place of the garlic if desired. Keep in mind some individuals with SIBO do not tolerate collagen rich broth. Use small amounts as tolerated. |
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