Fall and Winter Immune-Modulating Broths and Soups

Getting a head start on fall and winter!

When the first cool weather of fall arrives, thoughts drift to the coming days when a nice cup of healing broth or nourishing soup or Immune-Modulating Broths and Soups goes a long way towards warming the body and providing protection from the cold and flu season.

Broths are a great opportunity to pack layers of phytonutrients and immune support into a delicious base for soups, stews, sauces, and pretty much anything that needs some liquid yumminess, even if just for sipping!

Two powerful ingredients often overlooked for broths are sea vegetables and mushrooms.

Seaweeds and sea vegetables such as kelp, dulse, salicornia, nori, kombu, wakame, and arame are high in protein and rich sources of vitamins A, B, C, E, and B12.  They also contain potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine, and amino acids.

Wakame is the highest vegetarian source of omega-3s and has an omega 6 – omega 3 ratio of 1-18!

Wakame also has the compound fucoxanthin that can help the body burn fatty tissue.

Sea vegetables may protect against cancer and help with metabolism, energy, blood circulation, thyroid balance, detoxification, constipation relief, and immunity.

Mushrooms add to these powerful immune benefits. 

 They contain the phytonutrients pyrogallol and homogentisic acid which have been shown to reduce inflammation, boost the immune system and help prevent cancer. They also contain the flavonoids myricetin and catechin which give them their white and brown color and are powerful antioxidants.

 Together, sea vegetables and mushrooms give broth a rich, earthy, and hearty flavor that only gets better when simmered with your favorite vegetables and spices. 

You can strain the basic broth recipe below and enjoy it like a tea or use it as a base for just about anything!

It will last up to three months in the freezer, so plan ahead and stock up now!

Basic Broth 

Ingredients: 

• Onions 
• Seaweed 
• Leeks 
• Carrots 
• Mushrooms

Directions: 

1. Place vegetables in bottom of steamer or in a pan in two to three inches of water. 
2. Let simmer.

 Arame Maitake Soup

Ingredients: 

• Soaked arame, with liquid 
• Soaked maitake, with liquid 
• Ginger to taste 
• Turmeric to taste 
• 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• Carrot 
• 1/4 teaspoon kelp powder 

Directions: 

1. Place soaked arame with liquid and soaked maitake with liquid into a large bowl. 
2. Microplane ginger and turmeric into bowl. Add toasted sesame oil. 
3. Stir and taste. 
4. Add salt, carrot, and kelp powder. 
5. Stir. 

You can use hot water to soak the arame and mushrooms, or simmer once all ingredients are combined.

This is one of my favorites