Detox Soup

Kicking off your longer term weight or health goals with a 14 Day Detox is a great place to start.   Two weeks of eliminating highly allergenic and sometimes toxic foods (along with nutrient support for detoxification processes), can reduce cravings, decrease brain fog, increase energy, and imbue you with enough optimism to keep at it for longer term goals.    One of my favorite strategies while detoxing (or anytime really), is to have vegetable soup always at the ready.  For me, it's a great afternoon lift - it tastes great, is bursting with nutrients, and it doesn't rev up my afternoon cravings for sugar or salty snacks.   

​Here's the recipe I made yesterday - you can adjust to suit your tastes, including any non-starchy vegetables you choose.

Detox Vegetable Soup

• 1-2 T of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 green garlic, chopped
• 4-5 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 small green cabbage, chopped
• 1-2 large leaves of red chard or kale, chopped
• 2-3 fresh jalapenos, chopped (omit if you don't like spicy!)
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 container of organic chicken or vegetable stock (or one large bouillon cube)
• water 
• sea salt

Add oil to large soup pot over medium heat.  As you dice and chop onion, garlic, celery, carrots, jalapeno, zucchini, chard and kale, add to heat and saute for several minutes (the smell will be delicious!).  Add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes, the stock, and enough water to cover all the vegetables.   Add sea salt to taste (or other seasonings).   I cook on medium low heat for another 1/2 hour to 45 minutes.  I prefer my vegetable soup to be slightly crunchy, so I remove from heat before vegetables are overdone.