Clear, Easy, Dry, Light, Pungent and Pacifying this recipe is if "fresh bright green" had a taste, it would be Potato Leek Soup with Fennel Seeds. Smooth, rich and refined, this creamy soup is only made more enticing by the spicy sizzle of red pepper flakes.
How to Make Potato Leek Soup with Fennel Seeds & Red Pepper Flakes SERVINGS: 6 COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES SKILL LEVEL: EASY MEAL: LUNCH-DINNER STYLE: AYURVEDIC PREPARATION: SOUP, BOILED EAT IN: AUTUMN-WINTER FOR OCCASION: ON-THE-MENDWeights & measures INGREDIENTS SKILL LEVEL: EASY
1 tspBLACK PEPPER 1 tbsp FENNEL SEEDS 1 c LEEKS 4 whole POTATO 2 pinch RED PEPPER FLAKES (CHILI) 1/2 tsp SALT (MINERAL SALT) 2 tbsp SUNFLOWER OIL 6 c WATER PREPARATION OF THIS HEALTHY RECIPE 1. Heat 4 cups of water on high. Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes into approximately 1 inch cubes. Add to the water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, slice and chop the leeks into small bite size pieces. 2. Strain the potatoes after boiling for ten minutes. Save the water. Add 2c cool water to the potatoes (to cool them for the blender) and blend the potatoes along with the leeks. Pour back into the hot liquid and return to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low heat for twenty minutes. 3. Serve hot and garnish with cracked pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness? CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW
If "fresh bright green" had a taste, it would be Potato Leek Soup with Fennel Seeds. Smooth, rich and refined, this creamy soup is only made more enticing by the spicy sizzle of red pepper flakes.
Dairy-Free Creamy Soup Cream based soups are a decadent dish that frequently leave upset tummies- not so in this case. Blended potatoes with just the right amount of sunflower oil create a base that is just as smooth and nourishing as those filled with heavy cream. This lighter style soup will have you feeling calm, nourished, and (here's the kicker...) gas free!
Easy to Digest for All Potatoes, un-remedied by spices and cooking, cause gas and weight gain. They are naturally astringent, a unique quality among starches. Potatoes are also soothing and demulcent, making them useful for cooling inflammation in the GI tract. Potatoes alone can provoke Vata because of their astringency. Making a creamy soup (Vata's most beloved preparation) and adding warm spices like fennel helps Vata feel calm and symptom free. Sweet and stimulating, fennel possesses a unique combination of warming and cooling qualities that stimulate the appetite before meals and facilitate digestion afterward. Ate a little too much and feel bloated? Was the food a tad too spicy? Fennel relieves gas and bloating; it also functions to reduce burping, acid reflux, and alleviate nausea and indigestion. Fennel improves the digestive fire (agni) by stimulating blood flow to the stomach.
Improved Circulation Feel warm and relaxed thanks to Potato Leek Soups spice mixture. Pungent red and black peppers stimulate the heart to improve circulation via vasodilation. They destroy mucous in the digestive tract and sinuses. Black pepper is a carminative (expels gas) and warms cold Vata digestion. Red pepper flakes take the heat to a whole new level- they are very hot and pungent! Alone, they are too intense for most Vata and Pitta people. However, combined with cool potatoes and fennel, red pepper adds welcome heat and excitement! If you find red pepper flakes to cause you to sweat profusely or feel jittery, use black pepper and ginger instead.
Relaxed Muscles
The very nature of soup is to give soothing relaxation to your mind, muscles, and digestion. The addition of fennel intensifies this effect. Like many aromatic herbs, fennel is effective in relaxing smooth muscle spasms. It specifically relieves bronchial spasms in the lungs, colic in the GI tract and uterine cramping, thereby helping with diverse conditions from asthma to menstrual cramps. Simply adding it to your food can bring sweet relief, making Potato Leek Soup a diverse remedy.
AYURVEDIC DIET? Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.
Herbal Actions of Potato Leek Soup with Fennel and Red Pepper
Digestion: DIGESTIVE, STOMACHIC Digestive - Herbs that encourage healthy digestion. Stomachic - An herb that increases appetite or settles a nauseas or nervous stomach. These generally increase the digestive fire, therefore relieving symptoms of sluggish or difficult digestion.
Mind, Stress & Sleep: SEDATIVE Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.
Energy Vitality: NUTRITIVE An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.
Skin Care & Beauty: DIAPHORETIC An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.
Respiratory-Health: DECONGESTANT An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes.
Heart & Circulation: CARDIAC-STIMULANT Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.
VASODILATOR A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.
Reproductive Health: GALACTAGOGUE Increases production of breast milk, often by raising prolactin and diaphoresis.
Strength, Muscle Health: Antispasmodic
*Recipe from the Joyful Belly.