“Good manners: The noise you don’t make when you’re eating soup.” – Bennett Cerf
The weather is starting to turn here in Sydney. Finally. And, that makes me happy.
Soup season is upon us!
The Autoimmune Protocol lends itself to soup. Not least because bone broth is an integral player in the protocol.
Why is bone broth so good for you? – there are so many reasons. But, for the purposes of the Autoimmune Protocol – where we’re all about a nutrient dense diet to heal the gut – it’s mainly about the gelatin. One of the most vital nutrients for healing the gut is gelatin.
And yes – that is the stuff that makes jelly set.
Our intestinal lining is supposed to be permeable in order for nutrients to pass through. When this lining becomes too permeable due factors like poor diet, stress, lack of sleep (to name just a few), our immune system becomes compromised. Undigested food particles can then slip through our gut lining and pass directly into the bloodstream. When this happens, our immune system can start attacking the foods you eat. Over time, this can turn into an autoimmune issue where your immune system mistakenly starts to attack itself.
Soup is also a great way to ensure you’re getting a wide variety of vegetables into your diet. It’s economical. It’s great for batch cooking. It freezes well. It’s super quick to heat up when you’re feeling peckish.
Can you tell I love soup!
I think it stems from my childhood. I have very strong memories of sitting around the family-room table on winter Sunday’s eating one of Mum’s soup offerings. They were usually served with Vogel’s toast dripping with butter, or – if we were really lucky – grilled cheese! Actually – just writing this reminds me of Mum’s Beef Shin Soup… I need that recipe!
This soup was born out of a desire to broaden my repertoire. And, it kind of started with the chervil. And, as with most of my recipes, it’s really easy!
Chervil is one of those herbs that doesn’t get used very much. I add it – along with trusty tarragon – to my Béarnaise sauce (AIP reintroduction) and I know it partners well with fish and eggs. It looks a little like parsley – except it’s leaves are smaller, more delicate, and paler in colour – and tastes a bit like a mild basil with an aniseed kick.
The thing about chervil is that it’s flavour kind of disappears when you cook it too much. So, for this number I’ve added it right at the end.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m a little naughty about remembering to eat lunch. I’m on a bit of a personal mission to rectify this and keep my blood sugar nice and happy. For me, soup is the perfect way to achieve this.
Along with chervil and parsley, this number has leek and zucchini and broccoli – so you’re getting a good kick of green veggies to add to your day.
And, this soup hits the nutrient-density trifecta when you throw in a little smoked trout and fermented veggies. I picked up my smoked trout from the good peeps at Brilliant Food on my weekly trip to the farmers’ market, but you could use any kind of smoked or canned seafood to add that extra little something.
Of course, you already know the importance of adding fermented foods to your diet. When you start making them yourself, you’ll never look back. Promise! Here’s an easy-peasy tutorial on How to Ferment Your Vegetables.
- 1 Tablespoon happy fat of choice
- 1 large leek (or 2 and use just the green for low FODMAPs)
- 1.25 litres / 42 fluid ounces bone broth
- 1 bunch parsley, leaves picked and stems reserved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 head broccoli, including stalks, roughly chopped
- 2 zucchini, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch chervil (keep a few leaves set aside for garnish)
- 120 ml / 4 fluid ounces coconut cream
- 200g / 7 oz smoked fish, optional. (I used smoked trout)
- Peel and roughly chop your leek. Over a medium heat, melt your fat in a large pot. Add the leek and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Tie the stalks of the parsley together and pop them into the pot with the salt and stock. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the roughly chopped zucchini and broccoli and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove and discard the herb stalks.
- Transfer the contents of the pot to a blender with the chervil leaves and blend until smooth.
- Return the soup back to the pot and heat gently. Taste for salt and season appropriately.
- To serve, add the coconut cream and stir through. Garnish with smoked fish and chervil leaves.
If you’d like a few more ideas on the AIP-friendly soup front, check out these offerings:
- Dr Zeuss Soup – for the young and young-at-heart
- Hearty Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Bacon Bits – ridiculously easy to whip up and so tasty
- My World Famous Super-Power Chicken Soup – chock full of anti-inflammatory goodness
- The Original BEST Root Vegetable Soup – my favourite soup growing up in New Zealand
- AWESOME Purple Soup – yep. It’s both awesome and purple!
E N J O Y !
This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable
