Healing Soups to Fight Colds/Flu

The weather is so temperamental and, with all these temperature ups and downs, many of my patients are coming in with colds and flu! Soups are a great way to prevent and treat seasonal illness. To read more, there is a great article in the Yoga Journal called Healing Soups.

Here is a great recipe for an immune boosting soup:

Immune Boosting Soup*

If you need an extra immune boost, the article recommends using 1/2 the total garlic you desire to the soup, and then adding the remaining 1/2 of the garlic (crushed) after the soup is cooked, along with the lemon juice.

4 cups mushroom or chicken broth

1 small yellow onion, chopped

4-10 garlic cloves (to taste, crushed and chopped)

1 carrot, grated

4-8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1-3 tbsp. grated ginger root (to taste)

3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. Bring the broth, onion, garlic, carrot, mushrooms, and ginger root to a slow boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer on low, covered, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
3. Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice, parsley and any remaining garlic. Cover and steep for 5 minutes.

* This recipe appeared in the December 2008 issue ofYoga Journal and was provided by Debra Brammer, N.D., associate clinical dean of naturopathic medicine at Bastyr Center for Natural Health.

Walnuts: A Great Fall Food

I’m glad to see the walnut getting its due attention In this recent New York Times article (which also includes a delicious recipe for Bulgarian Cucumber Soup With Walnuts!). In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), walnuts have a multitude of health benefits. They tonify the kidneys which, according to TCM, are responsible for maintaining brain functioning. Walnuts strengthen muscles by nourishing the blood, relieve asthma by warming the lungs, aid in digestion and have sweet and warming properties, which means they are great for this season!

Nutritionally, walnuts provide a lot micronutrients: potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, zinc, copper, vitamins B9, B6, E, A and substantial amounts of dietary fiber, which eases constipation. They are also full of essential fatty acids like linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid.

How to Eat More Walnuts: Freshly shelled walnuts taste great eaten raw or cooked. Add raw walnuts to salads. Chop them up small and eat with a baked apple or pear or add them to your baked goods – breads, muffins, and cookies. Roast them as an appetizer or add them to a grain dish – like rice, quinoa or pasta.

How to roast walnuts? Spread them onto a baking sheet and place them in the oven for a few minutes (until lightly brown).
To toast them, place them in a skillet with a little bit of oil.

Walnut oil is another way to get the essential fatty acids (but not the fiber). Walnut oil is wonderful in salad but does not react well to heating so it’s not recommended for cooking.

A Note About Storage
: Because of their high fat content, walnuts turn rancid quickly. Chopped or ground walnuts turn rancid more easily than walnuts in the shell. 
 If they are stored in a cool place in the shell, you can keep them for up to a year. 
If you prefer to buy them unshelled, store them in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place. You do not want to keep them for more than a month.