Voila! "Better Than Chicken Soup"

Voila! "Better Than Chicken Soup"
Originally uploaded by .edward

Got the recipe for this immune-boosting soup from Whole Foods!

The recipe below is of this soup which promises to be as immune boosting as it is delicious. The other featured recipes also include healthful traditional Japanese ingredients like miso, ginger and garlic. The soups are very different than a bowl of steaming Jewish penicillin but likewise boast of contributing to centuries of good health.

Better Than Chicken Soup

Every ingredient here is included for its nutritional benefit. Serves 4 to 6.

1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. ground turmeric
4-8 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced
4 cups mushroom, vegetable or chicken broth
1-1/2 cups julienned fresh kale (cut as thin as possible)
1 cup butternut squash, cut into cubes
2 Tbsps. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
5-6 thin slices astragalus root (optional)
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
1 tsp. miso paste

In a saucepot over medium high heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil for three minutes. Add turmeric and mushrooms. Sauté 2 minutes. Add broth, kale, squash, ginger, cayenne and astralagus. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, add lemon juice and miso (adding miso when still very hot will diminish its probiotic benefits). Cover and let sit 5 minutes before serving.