Hearty warm soup for a cold winter
In the middle of winter when the weather is below freezing outside, warm soups and chilli offer instant comfort. That seems like common sense. As per Ayurveda, winter is the Kapha season when earth and water element are dominant. Vata can also be a factor when it is extremely cold and dry. People are affected by colds and coughs and general lethargy. Just as many animals do we tend to hibernate as well. Food can serve as a medicine to balance and pick us up from that general malaise.
Choose foods that are hot or warm, slightly oily for Vata and spicy pungent for Kapha, balancing with sweet, salt, sour and astringent tastes. A hearty vegetable soup with beans like kidney beans, black beans, chick peas etc. and some root vegetables can serve as grounding foods. Below is a recipe that can be made using the Instant Pot but can be made the traditional way too. You can pretty much choose any vegetables you have that are in season at home to make this dish. I created this recipe with the veggies I had but adding a sweet potato could add a nice touch with this spicy combo. Spinach and other greens can be added as well.
The spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, black pepper, chili powder and turmeric give it a zing that helps with digestion and wake up the taste buds and body at the same time. So enjoy and make your own variations to suit your palette!
Easy Hearty vegetarian bean soup
(Instant pot recipe in 3 qt size)
Can be made in stove top as well.
No of Servings: 8
Serving size: 3/4 cup
1 red onion chopped
2 cups of veggies (carrots, zucchini, or any others)
1 15 oz can organic garbanzo beans drained
1 15 oz can organic black beans drained
1 can organic diced tomatoes
1/2 jalapeño pepper sliced (optional)
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tsp of ground ginger
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup of water (omit for chilli consistency)
Salt to taste
Turn instant pot to sauté mode. Add olive oil when hot. Add the onions and sauté for a few mins. Then add the other vegetables, diced tomatoes, cans of beans, and all other ingredients and mix together until blended. Close the instant pot and seal. Cancel sauté mode and turn on manual mode for 12 mins. Let it release automatically after cooking before you open it. Stir and serve.
