Okay everyone, Valentine's Day is over and if you're anything like me, you've be indulging in sweets, booze, and fewer veggies than you probably should since Thanksgiving. This happens to me pretty much every year and every year the siren call of sugar becomes harder and harder to ignore.
So what are you to do when you know restrictive diets don't work, but you really want to avoid that moment when Spring comes and your realize everyone else has been working out all winter while you've been eating?
Obviously you need to move your body, but more than that, you need to break the cycle of poor nutrition. And luckily I have just the recipe for you!
My Winter Detox Soup is a nutrient packed, veggie explosion that will help you reset your brain and body for healthier eating. The best part is, it's completely delicious, will warm up your insides, and will leave you perfectly satisfied.
So what will you need to make this super-soup?
4-6 Cups Veggie or Chicken Stock
1 Onion
2 Cloves Galic
2 Leeks
1 Sweet Potato
1 Zucchini
3 Stocks Spinich
2 Big Handfuls of Spinich
1 Sprig Fresh Thyme
Salt and Pepper to taste
Put your stock in a big old soup pot and get it boiling. As always, homemade stock is best, but if you need to use a store bought one, make sure it doesn't have preservatives, crazy amounts of salt, or any gluten in it (if gluten is an issue for you). I like Kitchen Basics.
While you're waiting for it to boil, chop up your leeks, onion, and garlic.
Then add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a pan and soften the garlic, onion, and leeks in the pan on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Keep a good eye on them so you don't burn the garlic.
While those babies are softening, peel and cube you sweet potato
You don't need to go crazy with dicing the sweet potato. Cutting it up just makes it cook faster.
Once your stock is boiling, add your sweet potato.
Add some salt, pepper, and thyme to your leeks/onion/garlic and keep stirring.
With your sweet potato cooking in the stock and your leeks/onion/garlic mixture softening away, chop your zucchini and kale, getting it ready to add to your boiling stock.
Am I the only one who gets super excited about gorgeous produce?
When your leeks/onion/garlic are softened, add them to your boiling stock and throw in your chopped zucchini, kale, and 2 big handfuls of spinach.
Stir it up to get your kale and spinach wilting.
When your sweet potato is totally cooked, ladle the mixture into a food processor/high speed blender and puree until it is a smooth, bright green mixture and transfer to a serving bowl.
Look at that gorgeous green soup!
Maybe garnish with some fresh basil or more fresh thyme?
Ladle as much as you want into a bowl and dig in!
I tend to make this soup after holidays, vacations, and other times of indulgence. I make one big batch and eat it for at least one meal for a few days. It's delicious, warm, filling, and packed with nutrients. This soup gives my digestive system a break and gets me back to healthy eating without making me feel deprived. Plus, this soup goes amazingly well with a perfectly roasted chicken ;-)
So do yourself and your body a favor. Whip up a batch of this soup and break your indulgent eating habits, so you don't kick yourself when spring rolls around and you can't hide behind a puffy coat anymore.