Comfort Soup for Sassy Seasonal Eating

Today is DAY ELEVEN for all of the folks that joined the January Body Sass? Cleanse Group Program. Nice work, folks; you?re halfway through the journey! AND, I?m going to share a recipe today that is cleanse-friendly and super yummy and nutritious for any person, cleansing or not.

One of the fun things about my work is that wonderful clients, students, and friends send me cookbooks and recipes. Love that! Recently, I had my annual turn-of-the-year get-together with my most longtime friend, Marie. She has put up with me since we were ELEVEN. (Hm. I guess eleven is the number of the day. Lottery, anyone?) 2017 is our 40-year anniversary! This year, because she?s so thoughtful and awesome, she gave me a cookbook, signed to me from the author, called ?Soup Swap.? Ya?ll know I LOVE sassy soups! So, this weekend I gave one of them a whirl, made some adjustments, and am servin? up the adapted version for you to enjoy. FOOD SASS? baybeee!

Fun side note?there are some schools of thought that it is most harmonious for our sweet bods if we ?eat in season.? This means that you don?t eat berries in the winter, and you don?t eat potatoes in the summer, for instance. That?s a little too strict for this Chiquita, and I just love the abundance that I find in my market. So, even though I think there may be something to that line of thinking, I?m not an avid follower of it. But if YOU are a follower of in-season eating, this soup is all roots, all the time (well, except for the celery stalks), so it is squarely IN SEASON.

It does take some time to chop all these lovely root veggies, so turn on some good tunes, shake your booty, and chop to the beat 🙂
(Yes, that?s what I did.)

Roasted Root Soup

Serves 6-8

Fixings?

• 2 medium yellow onions, coarsely diced
• 3 medium parsnips, cut into ?-inch discs
• 3 medium carrots, cut into ?-inch discs
• One 2-lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into ?-inch cubes
• 1 medium celery root, peeled and cut into ?-inch cubes
• 3 medium celery stalks, cut crosswise into ?-inch pieces
• 2 shallots, quartered
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tsp. dried)
• 4 tbsp. avocado oil
• Celtic sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• ? c. dry white wine

Prep

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 F.
2. In two large rimmed baking sheets (or very shallow roasting pans), combine onions through thyme. Drizzle with the oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss evenly to coat the veggies.
3. Be sure the veggies are in a single layer in the pans (not on top of each other), slide them in the oven, and roast for 15 minutes.
4. Turn oven up to 450 F and roast for another 10 minutes,, or until the veggies are a nice golden brown, just crispy on the edges. You want the inside ?crisp tender,? NOT soft, or the soup will get mushy. They continue cooking in the soup.
5. Meanwhile, bring the stock and water to a boil in a large stockpot, then turn to low and simmer until the veggies are ready.
6. Once veggies are done, pour them into the stockpot. Then, add the wine to the pans and ?deglaze? the pans, which means use a spatula to scrape up all the juices and loose pieces that are softened up by the wine. Pour all that happiness into the stock.
7. With heat on low, simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper, to taste.

For any of you who are so inclined, including Day 11 Cleansers, you could add cooked chicken pieces to this soup and that would be a pretty rockin? take, as well.

Enjoy!
Create Vibrant Health: BodyMindSpirit?!

With love & Food Sass?,
Laurie