It’s a hard word to roll around your tongue, but Diindolylmethane or DIM, is the compound in cruciferous vegetables that makes experts advise people at risk for breast cancer to eat more cabbage and broccoli as a preventive measure.
This important compound makes broccoli the Queen of the Crucifers, as it has an impact on the metabolism of oestrogens that linger in the liver and gut. So, a shout-out to the Blue Zones team for this delicious Creamy Broccoli-Peanut Soup this week. If you are allergic to peanut butter and peanuts then try it with cashew nut butter instead. I’m sure it will be equally delicious.
DIM is a compound in broccoli that restores oestrogen balance by helping the liver to clear excess oestrogens that are not needed in the hormonal pathway. When you are in your follicular phase, oestrogen is higher than normal. DIM also helps to block aromatase which converts testosterone to oestrogen.
Understanding that there are specific nutrients in certain foods which can result in reduced symptoms, is an important strategy in the MyMT™ programmes. I’ve spend hundreds of hours researching the Food Guide and recipes that are in my programmes and women love the recipes.
When this recipe was shared by the Blue Zones team, I knew I had to share it with you as well. I talk about the Blue Zones geographical research conducted by Dan Buettner, in my Masterclass on Menopause.
I was also interviewed about the connection between menopause and women’s healthy ageing and the longevity studies that have been conducted in the Blue Zones geographical locations. The article appeared in New York’s SHEKNOWS magazine and is HERE for you.
BLUE ZONES CREAMY BROCCOLI-PEANUT SOUP
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 32-ounce carton vegetable broth, or 4 cups water with 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 teaspoon good quality curry powder
- 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 6 heaping cups finely chopped broccoli (mainly florets; some tender stems are fine)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Pinch of dried hot red pepper flakes, plus more to pass around
- Chopped roasted peanuts for garnish, optional
METHOD:
- Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and carrots and continue to sauté until all are golden.
- Add the broth along with the apples and curry powder. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat. Simmer gently over low heat with the cover ajar for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the carrots and apple are tender. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer the solid ingredients from the soup pot to a food processor with a slotted spoon. Process until just coarsely pureed, leaving some chunkiness. Stir back into the soup pot. Or, skip the food processor and insert an immersion blender into the pot and process until coarsely pureed.
- Add the peanut butter to the soup, about half at a time, whisking it in until completely blended. Return to very low heat.
- Steam the broccoli in a saucepan with about ¼ cup water, covered, for 5 minutes, or until brightly green and tender-crisp to your liking. Stir into the soup.
- If the soup is too thick, add enough water to give it a medium-thick consistency. Stir in the lemon juice, then season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Serve at once. Pass around more red pepper flakes and chopped peanuts for topping individual servings, if desired.
