Mom was right, people…gotta eat those VEGGIES!  Fueling our bodies with good, nutritious food is THE foundation of us being our best selves for each other out in the world. Our happiest and healthiest. Awhile back I spotted a sign in a store window that said “The food you eat can either be the best form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”  WOW.  Did that ever make an impression on me!

Ever since completing the Lean Eating for Women program last July I’ve put this into practice more and more.  And for the record, I don’t feel like I “completed” anything.  Rather, that year of habit-based coaching was the end of the beginning!  The launch of fivenineteen 2.0!  Who is now nearly 50 lbs lighter (22.5 kg) and about 43″ leaner with body measurements!  Holy crap, right? And since then, now doing these things “on my own” so to speak (which I’m not, really, as the Lean Eating online community is superb), I feel equipped with fantastic, sustainable nutrition and exercise habits I can continue for the rest of my life.

While I am not vegan, I’m really enjoying the Oh She Glows cookbook by Angela Liddon.  Delicious, creative vegan recipes…even for those like me who love a good steak or burger now and then!  It’s true…eating your veggies DOES make you glow from the inside out.  I’m told I look younger now than before I started taking better care of myself, and I have fewer wrinkles too apparently.  Bonus.

So, here’s a fantastic soup recipe.  Enjoy the ritual of chopping veggies…for me there is something very rustic and soothing about it.  [No, I don’t have a food processor, but am in the market for one.] Once you’re done with the prep work this soup comes together very quickly and will make the house smell heavenly.  This was a perfect choice, as I had a large, sweet onion and some mushrooms in the fridge that were a little long in the tooth and needed to be used.  When your veggies are ‘tired’ and about ready to be tossed, try them in a stir-fry or a soup like this one so they don’t go to waste.

Eat Your Greens Detox Soup – Serves 3

• 1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 C (750 ml) sliced cremini or white button mushrooms (about 8 oz)
• 1 C (250 ml) chopped carrots
• 2 C (500 ml) chopped broccoli florets
• Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 to 3 tsp (7 to 15 ml) grated, peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground turmeric
• 2 tsp (10 ml) ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) ground cinnamon
• 5 C (1.25 L) vegetable broth
• 2 large nori seaweed sheets, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) strips (optional)
• 2 C (500 ml) torn kale leaves
• Fresh lemon juice, for serving (optional)

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

Add the mushrooms, carrots and broccoli and stir to combine.  Season generously with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes more.

Stir in the ginger, turmeric, cumin and cinnamon and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the broth and stir to combine.  Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 20 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in the nori (if using) and kale and cook until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.

Fivenineteen notes:  I purchased one of those cardboard box thingy’s of vegetable stock that contains 4 cups broth, not the 5 called for in this recipe.  Honestly, you can get away with just 4 cups, plus the soup will be even thicker and heartier, which I prefer, honestly.  I like this served with a small blob of pesto too.

Buon appetito!