Kristin Tait, B.Kin, RHN, RNCP
Hallelujah it’s spring! ‘Tis the season of renewal and growth. The days are longer and warmer and everywhere you look green sprouts and shoots and leaves are making their way out of the earth. According to Chinese Medicine the spring is governed by the liver and gallbladder and both the liver and the season are associated with the colour green.
The ancients are said to have given the liver its name from the verb “to live” as it is of utmost importance to the overall health and longevity of the body and its many systems. How natural it is then that the live-r is represented by the colour green and the renewal of life that beckons plants, humans and animals alike during the spring season.
Viewed through the lens of Chinese Medicine it is clear that the best way for us to support this vital system is to consume the seasonal green foods that are so beneficial to our bodies and specifically our liver at this time of year. Though we often hear about ‘detoxing’ our liver, and we can do that if we are so inclined, we can also go gently and simply choose to eat and live in ways that support the renewal of this vital system. Soups are easy to digest and assimilate and are warming and nourishing during the cooler nights characteristic of early spring. These recipes are deeply nourishing and delicious – modify as you wish and enjoy!
Broccoli Detox Soup
Modified with gratitude from The Awesome Green
www.theawesomegreen.com
Serves: 2
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 cup mixed greens (kale, spinach, beet greens, collard greens or any other available)
- 1 Chinese yam, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 cups filtered water or low sodium vegetable broth
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
Optional: Toasted mixed seeds and nuts, 1 teaspoon coconut milk, grated daikon, and/or dandelion pesto to garnish
In a soup pot, heat the coconut oil, add the onion, garlic, carrot, parsnip, celery sticks and broccoli, and cook over low heat for five minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the filtered water or vegetable broth, bring to a boil, then cover the pot with a lid and let simmer for 5‐7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender but not mushy.
Stir in the greens, then transfer into the blender, add the chia seeds and lemon, and process to obtain a smooth cream.
Top with toasted seeds, coconut milk or pesto and grated daikon and serve warm.
Dandelion Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Borrowed with gratitude from www.thekitchn.com
Makes about 1 cup
- 3/4 cup unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds
- 3 garlic gloves, minced
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 bunch dandelion greens (about 2 cups, loosely packed)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper, to tasted
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour the pumpkin seeds onto a shallow-rimmed baking sheet and roast until just fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Pulse the garlic and pumpkin seeds together in the bowl of a food processor until very finely chopped.
Add parmesan cheese, dandelion greens, and lemon juice and process continuously until combined. Stop the processor every now and again to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The pesto will be very thick and difficult to process after awhile — that’s ok.
With the blade running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.