Flu-Fighter Garlic Soup

1/17/18 – Hubby found this recipe out there and it looks promising. It’s for a garlic and veggie soup that purports to boost your immune system. While I can’t vouch for it’s claims, it certainly sounds like a good soup. When I make it, I will probably use much more garlic than she calls for and probably a whole pound of mushrooms, just because I like mushrooms. I’d probably also be inclined to up the turmeric, because when do you get to use turmeric in anything? Let me know if you try it and what you think. I’ll post my results in the next few days.

https://www.vegcorner.com/flu-fighter-garlic-soup-recipe/

1/23/18 – Wow! I have to say this is a was a winner. The intensity of the garlic coupled with the pungency of the turmeric was amazing. Especially the raw bits on top at the end. I loved it. I’m going to make this again and again….

9/17/18 – I keep making this and it’s been about a year since I was last sick. I love this recipe and it’s one of the few things I keep making and coming back to.

Prevent cold, flu and many other ailments by making this vegan, no-oil, garlic soup a regular at your house, even if you are an omnivore!

1/13/2019: Bumping up. We have handed out this recipe at least a half dozen times last year and it continues to be a mainstay in our menu year-round, but especially throughout the winter. Definitely check out our gremolata improvement under “Notes”. It takes the soup to another level.

Ingredients

- 1 big onion, chopped

- 5+ cloves garlic, minced

- 1 big carrot, finely chopped

- 5 mushroom caps, finely chopped (I used cremini)

- 1/4 cup coriander, finely chopped (I’ve used dried here)

- 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed (I like it best with the quinoa)

- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder (or much, much more) or thumbnail sized fresh turmeric, grated

- 6 cups water or veggie broth or bouillon

salt, pepper and crushed red chili flakes to taste

Optional Ingredients:

- 1 cup kale, finely chopped – definitely like it with the kale in it

3 cloves+ garlic, minced

Substitutions:

- quinoa – lentils

kale – spinach, swiss chard

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized pan saute the onions, turmeric powder, red chili flakes and garlic in a little water.

1. Add the carrots, mushrooms and coriander and saute for a few more minutes.

1. Stir in the rinsed quinoa and liquid. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the quinoa is cooked. If you feel that the quinoa has absorbed a lot of water making a stew like consistency add some more liquid. Switch off the stove.

Stir in the chopped kale and minced garlic if using. The heat will wilt the greens. Season to taste. The minced, raw garlic at the end here is what really seems to do it for me.

My Notes:

Lentils can be used instead of quinoa and in that case the cooking time would be about 35-40 minutes. Using a pressure cooker would reduce the cooking time.
As a bright alternative to the simole garlic garnish, make a “gremolata”. Add the the zest and juice of one lemon, four+ cloves of fresh garlic, 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, and 1/2 jalapeño seeded. Pulverize in food processor until it reaches a coarse mince. Stir in soup just before eating.
The trick though is that you have to make this before you get sick!
In the past year I have had five occasions to make this soup and each time I think it’s kept me from getting sick. I can often feel something in the back of my throat, kind of a dull ache or pain. If I feel that, I know I must make this soup. Three times last January, I thought I needed it, made it, and didn’t get sick. Then there was some airplane travel and a funeral where there was a lot of hugging, sobbing, and just the general emotional drain of the event back in May. Didn’t get sick. Most recently, after returning from a trip out West, felt like I needed it again after having been on a plane. Made it. Not sick. Good to go!