Celery, Leek and Thyme Soup
I’m back. Apologies for my lack of recipe posts lately. I’ve been working on bringing my Heal Your Gut eBook to life in the form of an online program which starts next month (October) and a print book published mid next year.
This self imposed exhile has been a great excuse to sip on soupy creations, served warm in tea mugs whilst beavering away. Today I want to share with you one of my particular favourites.
Although it may not be the ultimate eye candy, consider this soup as a bowl of anti-inflammatory goodness. You don’t need potatoes to herald a comfort factor. The combination of celery and leek brings with it a mellow flavour and creaminess without the use of heavy cream.
Celery is best known for its ability to lower blood pressure, but it also helps protect against inflammation within the digestive tract, and aids in digestion. Combined with leeks, which are high in vitamins and minerals, this recipe is a great option to include when you feel like having a belly good holiday.
Leeks contain kaempferol, a natural flavonol that's also found in broccoli, kale, and cabbage. Numerous preclinical studies have shown that kaempferol have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, antidiabetic, anti-osteoporotic, estrogenic/antiestrogenic, anxiolytic, analgesic and antiallergic activities. That’s a lot of big words which basically mean it’s eat it, cause it's good for you!
This soup is adaptable and can be used as a base for whatever veggies you have hanging about in the fridge. You can omit the cashews and add one cup of coconut milk instead if you prefer.
Here’s how to create my magically gut healing Celery, Leek and Thyme Soup.
GF, WF, DF, SF, VEG
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 leek chopped
- 1 1/2 heads celery, sliced into 1/2 cm chunks (Throw in a few leaves too if you’re keen)
- 2 cardamom pods, seeds only
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 2/3 cup cashew nuts
- ½ cup coconut milk
Method
- In a heavy based pan heat oil and add garlic and leek
- Add celery and cardamom and thyme and cook for a further 5 mins
- Add stock and bring to the boil then lower heat and cook until celery is tender
- Remove and place in a blender with cashew nuts and blend until smooth
- Return to pan add coconut milk and warm through
- Ladle into bowls
Hi Lee,
Im going to try this recipe this week, sounds great. Just wondering did you add thyme to yours and if so is it OK to use dried?
sorry, here is the update method
In a heavy based pan heat oil on a moderate heat and add garlic and leek and cook until soft
Add celery, cardamom and thyme cook for a further 5 mins
Add stock and bring to the boil then lower heat and cook until celery is tender
Remove and place in a blender with cashew nuts and blend until smooth
Return to pan add coconut milk and warm through
Ladle into bowls
Where is the thyme
I have added this in sorry it must have fallen off 🙂
Hi Lee, I’m wondering whether this soup would aid in recovering from a bout of gastro, or if you think it might be too much in the beginning? I’d rather not be eating dry toast all the time! Thank you
Yes it would be fine x
Hi Lee, I made the soup last night using fresh thyme it is delicious.
I had surgery for breast cancer in August and so I have become very concerned for what goes in my mouth. I have read that celery is one vegetable that it is difficult to remove pesticide residue. I did use an organically grown one
Yes celery is on the dirty dozen list so organic would be better. I hope that your recovery is going well 🙂 x Lee
Hi Lee, the recipe is marked as Yeast-free, but doesn’t stock usually contain yeast extract?
There are a number of stocks that don’t where are you located? Celebrate Health Stock doesn’t and Pacific stock doesn’t also home made stock and some butchers do their own stock without yeast.