Mushroom and Celery Soup with Cumin and Coconut

Here is a very quick and handy soup recipe containing celery (rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients; very low in calories), garlic (immune, gastro, and heart friendly), healing bone broth and also MCT fat rich coconut milk. I made this to support an Achilles niggle that I am nurturing back to running health.

This soup is very easy to make and don’t worry if you are not a celery fan; my significant other hates the stuff and loved this soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 red onion – peeled and diced
• 1 clove garlic – crushed, peeled and finely sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil (or butter or marrow fat)
• 1 punnet of mushrooms or a mixture of various mushrooms – wiped clean and sliced
• Several sticks of celery – don’t be afraid to be generous. I used 5 large sticks – sliced
• Optional sweetening from ½ small sweet potato or ¼ butter nut squash – peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh bone stock – a good pint to one litre approx.
• 1 can coconut milk (or cream if you prefer)

Ingredients

Bone broth

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel saucepan and when warm fry the onion and garlic until translucent.
2. Add the mushrooms and if they start to go too dry add in some stock.
3. Toss for a few minutes and then add the celery, sweet potato or squash, more stock to cover and cumin. Cover with a lid and simmer until all vegetables are soft.
4. Add the remaining stock and can of coconut milk. Warm and then blend in the blender or with a hand-held blender. You may wish to add more stock if this is too thick.
5. Season to taste, and bring to just under a boil before serving.
6. We served this with a dollop of pesto.
7. Freeze extra portions for later use.

Serving suggestion with home-made flax bread, freshly sprouted and cooked mixed beans and hummus.