Skin Glow Soup

A lot of beauty recipes include smoothies or salads, but at this time of year I personally prefer something warming to eat.  This oil-free Skin Glow Soup is packed with all the good stuff, and by good stuff I mean skin-longing properties  will boost your skin and help it to glow

Lemon:
Lemon is everything. I drink a large mug of warm water with the fresh juice from 1/2 of a lemon every day, before anything else. I cannot skip this step! It makes me feel normal and wakes up my digestive system. Lemon has amazing cleansing properties and provides a burst of Vitamin C.  If you've been following this blog for a while you will know how important vitamin C is for healthy wrinkle free skin.   Adding lemon juice to your soup will bring a lightness and flavour to the soup.

Ginger:
Fresh ginger is so essential. It is so incredibly healing. and very digestion-friendly. Not only do I add ginger to many of the soups I prepare, but I add a huge chunk to our daily green juice, in salad dressings and in hot tea.

Turmeric:
This is a spice that I’ve grown to love due to its skin-loving properties (aids in a healthy glow), antiseptic, anti bacterial and anti inflammatory wonders. It comes from a root similar to ginger, is high in antioxidants and adds a beautiful bright golden color to any dish (fresh turmeric is best, but ground turmeric is okay too)

Cinnamon:
So wonderful in this cleansing soup! Cinnamon helps in balancing blood sugar levels while stimulating digestion. It’s also a natural sweetener – you can add cinnamon to your smoothie, oatmeal, granola, coffee, baked goods and even soup. 

Cayenne Pepper:
I add the tiniest bit of cayenne to many dishes. While it’s optional, I really love the dose of heat and flavour from cayenne because I don’t have to add as much salt when there is enough spiciness. Not a ton of spiciness, just enough for noticeable flavor. Cayenne pepper is known to rev up your metabolism and helps with congestion. Goodbye stuffy nose!

Since this Skin Glow Soup doesn’t have rice, noodles, beans or legumes of any sort, it’s easily digestible for everyone due to the soft vegetables, but if you want to add extra plant protein like tofu, lentils, chickpeas, wild rice or noodles, feel free. I think you will love this wonderful soup.  I keep coming back to it because it is comforting, wholesome and healthy. 

SKIN GLOW SOUP
INGREDIENTS1/4 cup water (or vegetable broth)
1/2 of a red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1 small head of broccoli, florets
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon turmeric (I used powdered)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
fine-grain sea salt and black pepper, to taste
6 cups water (or 4 cups vegetable broth + 2 cups water)
2 cups kale, de-stemmed and torn in pieces
1 cup purple cabbage, chopped
juice from 1/2 of a small lemon (or a whole lemon, depending how much lemon flavoUr you prefer)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot, add the water and turn on the heat to medium-high. After it's hot, add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the celery, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes and fresh ginger. Stir and cook for 3 minutes, adding in extra water or broth as needed (another 1/4 cup). Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper plus salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add in the water or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add in the kale, cabbage and lemon juice near the last 2-3 minutes of simmering.
3. Enjoy!

NOTES

1. This cleansing recipe is oil-free because avoiding the use of oil during a cleansing meal is important for the detoxification process (and you won't miss the oil at all due to all the flavor!) but if you feel like cooking with oil, use a minimal amount - 1 tablespoon or less.
2. Leftovers stay well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.