When late fall and early winter roll in, our bodies experience increased vulnerability as the elements in our particular regions shift. Here in Nebraska it gets colder, lighter, and windier. And, although we have moisture from some rain and snow, it does get quite dry. It's natural that the body is weakened by the changing elements of early winter, and this makes us more vulnerable to picking up colds and flu that tend to appear at this time of year.

But, we have at our finger tips natural resources to stay strong and healthy! One of these resources is pure healing food. I'd like to share one of my favorite early winter recipes with you. In early winter season, or if I start to feel a cold or flu bug trying to make its home in the respiratory system, I make a big pot of this delicious soup. There is a hidden secret in this action. The secret is that we all need to nurture ourselves, like our grandmother would. Instead of following through with an action that would bring strength, balance, and peace of mind, we tend to start seeking comfort in all the wrong places. We look for something to fill the hole that really needs the appropriate healing action to bring balance to the current situation. In a gesture of balance, like making a healing pot of soup, not only do we support the body to right itself, but we give ourselves the loving nourishment that we all long for.

This soup contains seasonal root vegetables and is leaning towards the warming, pungent taste. It contains a moderate quantity of garlic and onion, and I'd like to insert a side note here-not all constitutions, practicing yogis/meditators, or anyone actually, should take strong onions and garlic daily-because they strip the gut of it's natural, immune supporting, healthy gut bacteria. But, these foods can be a powerful medicine in the right circumstances in moderate quantities. So in a moment like this, when you need a medicinal cold and flu soup, onions and garlic are acceptable to ingest.

Cary's Natural Flu Shot Soup

You will need:

2 Red Beets

2 White Sweet Potatoes

6 Medium-Large Carrots

2 Palmfuls of Broccoli

1/2 White or Red Onion

3 Cloves of Garlic

1 Palmful of Radishes

1 Bunch of Fresh Parsley

1 tsp Turmeric Pwd

1/2 tsp Cumin Pwd

1/2 tsp Coriander Pwd

1/2 tsp Fennel Pwd

1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds

1/2 Tsp Cardamom

1-2 Sprigs of Fresh Savory

Veggie Broth (I prefer to either make my own, or to choose one without tomato, because all nightshades are inflammatory and have a negative, shrinking effect on our channels.)

Water to cover the veggies-(once everything is in the pot, top it off with more water so you have lots of broth to drink with your veggies. )

2 TB Olive Oil

Natural Soma Salt

Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Choose a large soup pot for this recipe.

Start by heating the olive oil, spices, chopped garlic, and onion in the bottom of your pot.

Once the aroma is fragrant, then add your broth and some of the water.

Chop all your vegetables by making the first cut lengthwise along the lifeline, open the vegetable and take in the beauty of the color and life lines inside. Then chop each one into hearty bite-sized pieces.

Now top off the remainder of the pot with water.

Allow your winter soup to simmer over medium heat until the veggies are soft and the broth is flavorful.

Then, toward the end of the cooking process, chop the entire bunch of parsley and add it to the soup. Allow the leaves to soften and turn bright green before serving.

Add natural Soma salt and pepper to taste.

I hope that you will enjoy the process of cooking this delicious, warming meal. Keeping a neat and organized kitchen, bothering with taking time to prepare good food, standing over a steaming pot of soup; these are all powerful actions for taking good care of ourselves in our day to day life. In the act of touching, smelling, seeing, and preparing these natural foods, our bodies become enlivened. If you pay close attention, you might discover that you begin to feel a natural joy arising from within! This is the joy of life touching life.

It is through living this life fully that we can awaken to the greatest joy of all, the joy of our own Being.

Enjoy this healing meal and please share the healing benefits with others!

All Love,

Cary