Veg Soup with Turmeric and Bone Broth

Finn LOVES soups and stews. Which is great because I can pack so many nutrients into them. I think a few key things make him ask for seconds. One is definitly bone broth, which adds a depth of flavour (and nutrients) it’s hard to match. Here’s my separate post on bone broth, why we use it and how to make it. The other is the freshest vegetables possible.

The anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric are well known, and they are especially useful for those with Down syndrome. This soup has double layered turmeric, through the fresh root as well as dreamy turmeric infused ghee. For turmeric and ginger, if they’re organic there’s no need to peel them here.

I use as many seasonal vegetables as I can, especially in soups. We’ve not long finished the pumpkin season from our local vegetable grower, and are enjoying huge, bright orange carrots daily (the kind that still come covered in mud - which keeps the freshness and flavour). Their sweetness can’t be matched by a supermarket bought carrot - even an organic one. And it makes a difference. Nothing beats home grown celery and leeks for flavour, either, and we made the most of the parsley season for as long as possible this winter. Greens like chard and kale are also great to add. I like to add greens towards the end, to keep their brightness. A note on greens, though - I used to be a big fan of raw greens for the kids but I don’t give Finn raw greens (or raw cruciferous vegetables) nowadays. This is because of the impact they can potentially have on the thyroid (and those with Down syndrome are prone to hypothyroidism). They can do this by blocking the body’s ability to absorb iodine, which every cell of the body needs, but especially the thyroid. The general advice is that those with pre-existing hypothyroidism may find that excessive consumption of raw greens and cruciferous veggies could further suppress thyroid activity. Finn’s 6 and around 20kgs. I don’t know what excessive would look like for a human that size, so I err on the side of caution.

This recipe is adaptable. I tend to use red split lentils (unless I’m making more of a noodle soup). I prefer to use dried pulses, especially for Finn, rather than pre cooked and tinned/packaged. Rinsing well and then pre-soaking before cooking, usually overnight, helps remove anti-nutrients like lectins and phytates. This makes them easier to digest, nutrients more available and also makes them quicker to cook. I also think they taste better. I always cook them in a pressure cooker. I try to avoid tinned foods where I can, to avoid things like BPA leaching from the packaging. I don’t always manage this, though - and the batch of soup below was made for family staying and I used a tin of chickpeas for the recipe due to time pressure. As a general rule, though, I rinse, pre-soak and then pressure cook beans and pulses for us all, and especially Finn, particularly due to his bowel condition (Hirschprung’s), as they are made much more digestible.

Ingredients (makes a huge pot that will easily serve 4 people 2-3 meals)

1 large onion (chopped)

Thumb sized piece of ginger (finely chopped)

Thumb sized piece of fresh turmeric (finely chopped)

4-5 garlic cloves (minced)

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

1 tablespoon garam masala

3 large carrots (scrubbed or peeled and chopped)

1 butternut squash or 1/2 large pumpkin (peeled, seeded and cubed)

1 large leek (checked for soil, cut in half and chopped - I don’t use the harder dark green part for this)

4-5 stems of celery (chopped)

2-3 sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped)

1 cup red split lentils (pre-soaked overnight, ideally)

300g passata (Sainsbury’s and Suma stock a 600g organic variety in glass)

2 tablespoons turmeric ghee (I use this one and it is as amazing as it looks)

1.5-2 litres fresh bone broth/stock.

Finely chopped kale and or chard - hard stems removed (I don’t use spinach in this recipe as the batch is so large and re-heating spinach makes it slimy)

1 bunch fresh parsley

1 bunch fresh coriander

1/2-1 teaspoon salt (Himalayan or Celtic) - depending on how salty your broth is. You decide.

Black pepper

Instructions

Peel and crush your garlic first. Leave it to stand for a few minutes before using. I learned recently that doing this before cooking helps maximize nutrients (and also flavour).

Melt ghee in the open pressure cooker pot on a medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and fresh turmeric. Cook for a few minutes, until they soften and release their aroma. Don’t allow to brown.

Add mild curry powder and garam masala. Stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds, again until they release their aroma.

Add celery and leek, stir and cook for a few minutes.

Add carrots, squash/pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Stir to combine veg and spices.

Add soaked and rinsed lentils. Stir to combine.

Pour over broth/stock. Stir to combine.

Add passata and stir.

Check all the vegetables and lentils are well covered by the liquid before cooking. Add more stock (or filtered water) to make sure, as the lentils will absorb much of it.

Attach pressure cooker lid and set to high. Bring to a boil then lower the temperature to a low heat. Put a timer on for 15 minutes. Release the steam (according to your manufacturers instructions). When released, test the soup - especially the lentils, to make sure they are completely soft.

Add finely chopped kale and/or chard. Stir through the hot soup.

You can add pre-socaked, pre-cooked chickpeas at this stage also (or tinned if you’re stuck). They’re not necessary, though.

Allow the soup to cook for a few more minutes with the lid off - until greens are softened.

Remove from the heat,

Stir through 3/4 of the bunch of parsley.

Serve and top with more fresh parsley and fresh coriander.

The soup can also be topped with cooked, chopped leftover chicken. I wouldn’t add it to the whole pot, though, as you won’t want to be re-heating the meat. I just add it cold in the bowl, if using.

This goes really well with my No-knead Buckwheat Bread, and plenty of butter.