Beat Winter Body Blues with 24-Hour Veggie Soup Cleanse

We’ve all heard about juice cleanses, but not everyone has heard about another hot health trend – the soup cleanse. Soup cleanses are fantastic for long winter months when our bodies could use a warm boost of energy.

Unlike juice cleanses that contain some fruits, soup cleanses are typically lower on the glycemic scale. This soup cleanse is packed with veggies that contain fiber and nutrients to help maintain weight during pre- and post-holiday overindulgence. They’re also jam-packed with immunity-boosting antioxidants.

To complete this soup cleanse, you’ll need a high-speed blender. I also recommend purchasing glass Mason jars for storage, then making all your soups in the morning so a busy day doesn’t ruin your plans.

When shopping for ingredients, choose organic whenever possible, and be sure to stock up on lots of water and herbal tea for maximum hydration.

There are five recipes below for breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. If breakfast, lunch and dinner fill you until the next meal, you do not have to make a morning and afternoon snack, but you can if needed. Note that the Bone Broth recipe will take 24 hours to make, so plan to make this recipe the day before your cleanse. For an evening snack, drink herbal tea.

BREAKFAST

Creamy Coconut

Serves 2

2 large avocados

1½ cups coconut water

1 lemon, juiced

¼ cup basil leaves

2 cups peas

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Blend using a high-speed blender until smooth.

MORNING SNACK

Glowing Greens Soup                               

Serves 2

2 cups water or coconut water

2 small sweet potatoes, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 cup spinach

1 avocado

Pinch of turmeric

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Fresh basil (garnish)

Blend using a high-speed blender until smooth. Garnish with fresh basil.

LUNCH

Creamy Kale 

Serves 2

1 bunch kale

1 avocado

½ cup coconut water or coconut milk

1 cup frozen or fresh peas

5 basil leaves

1 lemon, juiced

1½ teaspoon sea salt

Hemp seeds (garnish)

Blend using a high-speed blender until smooth. Top with hemp seeds.             

AFTERNOON SNACK

Chicken Bone Broth Soup

3-5 pounds of soup bones

Water (enough to cover the bones)

1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

*Note: Ask at your local butcher shop. Soup bones are usually very cheap, if not free!

MAKE YOUR STOCK. In a stock pot, add the soup bones and enough water to cover. Add apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 24+ hours.

STORE YOUR STOCK. After about 24 hours, strain the stock into mason jars. Set them in the fridge to cool. Skim off the fat that rises to the top, and close tightly with a lid, or put in ice cube trays for quick use.

This will keep in the fridge for a few days or for four to six months in the freezer.

DINNER

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup 

Serves 4

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups organic vegetable broth

1 can organic coconut milk (BPA-free can)

Pumpkin seeds (roasted or raw) (garnish)

ROAST THE VEGETABLES. Heat your oven to 350°F. Take your chopped butternut squash and carrots and massage with coconut oil, cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20 to 25 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

ASSEMBLE THE SOUP. Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk to a large pot. Mix together thoroughly. Add the cooled, roasted vegetables to a high-speed blender in batches with just enough broth/coconut milk mixture to cover. Blend until smooth. Add it back to the soup pot and set it on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve topped with pumpkin seeds.