Cold-Fighting Creamy Broccoli and Kale Soup

How have you been faring this cold season? My daughter and I got hit by a particularly nasty bug that left us coughing and congested for weeks—and neither of us had an appetite for anything other than soup and ice cream.

I’m a firm believer that when you’re sick, you should listen to your body. When I don’t feel like eating, I don’t eat. And if I’m craving something when I’m sick, I believe it’s because it’s something my body needs. (Okay, maybe my body didn’t need that bowl of Fat Elvis Ice Cream. But it sure made me feel better.)

The soups I found myself craving were vegan pureed soups made with lots of veggies. This makes sense: when you’re congested, dairy can make you feel worse. And all those veggies? They’re full of vitamins and other compounds that help boost immunity.

This cold-fighting soup has some of the best ingredients for the immune system. Garlic contains allicin, which is thought to block enzymes that cause viral infections; dark leafy greens like kale are high in nutrients like vitamin C; broccoli contains glucosinolates, which stimulate the immune system, along with vitamins A, C, and E.

Eating a single bowl of this cold-fighting soup certainly isn’t a cure-all, but when combined with a steady diet of nutrient-rich foods, it’ll give your body what it needs to fight off all those nasty germs so you can feel better again.

Photo and recipe by Ana Stanciu

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Cold-Fighting Creamy Broccoli and Kale Soup

With dark leafy greens, broccoli, and plenty of garlic, this cold-fighting soup will help give your immune system a boost.

Course: Soup

Author: Kiersten Frase

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups roughly chopped kale
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 medium head broccoli broken into florets
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• To garnish: Mixed seeds and nuts fresh parsley or cilantro, and sprouts (optional)

Instructions

• Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium. Once it's melted, add the onion and garlic; cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
• Stir in the kale leaves and cook for 5 minutes, until cooked down and wilted. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
• Add the broccoli florets. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender.
• Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the coconut milk and blend to incorporate, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide the soup into 2 bowls and garnish as desired.