As the weather gets cooler, it is comforting to have a nice filling breakfast to start the day. Something savory and warm. Something to nourish your body (and microbiota) and give you the energy you need to take on any challenges your day may bring. Speaking of challenges, how many of you eat vegetables for breakfast? So, maybe it is time to leave behind the paradigm of waffles, pancakes, or cold cereals and embrace a different idea.
Soup for breakfast! Soup is a great way to get those veggies in at the start of your day! It is comforting, warm, and filling. Soup provides fiber, vitamins and minerals that our body needs to maintain health. It can also work with any food sensitivities that you might have, because homemade soup only has the ingredients you put into it. On a chilly morning, a warm cup of soup sounds so much better than a bowl of cold cereal.
Think about it. If you make a big pot of soup on the weekend (or a day that works for your schedule), it makes a quick meal to reheat for breakfast if you are in a rush during the week. You can also start to get the rainbow of veggies in early in your day to help your happy microbiome.
You can throw anything into a soup. Start with a good bone broth as a base, which is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, collagen, gelatin, glucosamine, chondroitin and other trace minerals. If you are following a whole-food, plant-based diet, start with a good vegetable broth. Experiment with leftovers in your fridge, different spices, vegetables (preferably organic), legumes, etc. Have fun with it!
Here is a recipe I found that can get you started:
PREP TIME: 20 MINS COOK TIME: 1 HOUR TOTAL TIME:1 HOUR 20 MINS
Author: Mickey Trescott Serves: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon solid cooking fat (use olive oil if WFPB)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
3 cups water
1 small, whole chicken (about 4 pounds) (use legumes if WFPB)
1 small butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cubed
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ pound baby spinach
½ lemon, juiced
INSTRUCTIONS
Place the solid cooking fat in the bottom of your Instant Pot and select the "saute" function. When the fat has melted and the pot is hot, add the onion, and cook, stirring, until translucent and lightly browned, about six minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for another 30 seconds, until aromatic.
Add the water to the pot and turn off the heat. Add the chicken, squash, and sea salt to the pot. Lock the lid and set your machine to pressure cook on the manual "high" setting for 16 minutes.
When the machine indicates the dish is finished cooking, immediately place a towel over the steam valve, carefully opening with the use of a wooden spoon (careful -- you can burn yourself easily here!) to quick-release the pressure. Once the steam is released, remove the lid, and allow to cool.
Once the dish has cooled enough, remove the whole chicken from the pot, take off the meat, and place back in the pot with the spinach and lemon juice. Place back into the Instant Pot container to heat to temperature and enjoy!
If you are going to be portioning this soup into jars for storage in the freezer, allow it to cool completely and spend 24 hours in the refrigerator before doing so -- the soup will have a better flavor when you reheat it!
Enjoy your breakfast soup, and feel free to contact me at info@dramyknaperek.com to set up a 10-minute introduction call.
Are you ready to start your journey to a healthier, more balanced life?