Since it’s the new year, there is a lot of talk of “detoxification” lately. Usually we think of refraining from certain foods and drinks but we can actually detoxify by adding natural foods into our diets.
It’s also a good idea to start incorporating the idea of eating with the weather, but more specifically eating with the seasons. If you think about it, nature actually provides us with a shopping list. The whole idea of eating seasonally isn’t practised like it was in the past though. Our early ancestors wouldn’t dream of eating strawberries in the winter and sweet potatoes in the summer. They ate the produce that grew in that particular season and that was that. Nature protects us in this sense because foods that grow in the spring and summer are cooling and cleansing. Autumn and winter foods are warming and building to prepare us for cooler weather.
Since it was pretty cold out today, I decided to make a root vegetable soup. I already had carrots, onions, rosemary, thyme and garlic so I bought parsnips, shallots and a large sweet potato from my local fruit and veg store. I roasted them first to bring out the sweetness in them. Half way through, I sprinkled them with sea salt, cracked pepper, fresh thyme and fresh rosemary. Once they finished roasting, I added them to a little boiling water and organic vegetable stock. Five minutes later, I hand blended it and it was all done.
Most foods that are cleansing are also cooling foods. Foods are categorised into warming and cooling foods, with the warming foods containing more building properties for the body. The good thing about this soup is that it’s still cleansing because it’s all natural. It doesn’t contain any dairy, gluten, additives or sugar. The sweetness brought out in the roasted root vegetables will balance blood sugar levels naturally. This prevents blood sugar spiking and crashing that occur after consuming refined sugars.
Soups are so easy to make ourselves so try and get in a habit of making them rather than relying on cans. Canned soups are usually high in sodium, preservatives and additives. As an option, add brown rice or quinoa to your soups and create a complete nutrient dense meal.
