Celery is an acquired taste isn’t it? Some of my family still don’t like the taste nor the crunch of it, but when I make this soup, they don’t know that there is even celery in it. Little do they know how good it is for them. Whilst some of you may also be sensitive to celery, because it produces its own pesticides to protect it from fungi, if you wash the stalks thoroughly, then this should reduce your sensitivity.
The potassium and sodium in celery juice helps to regulate body fluid and stimulate urine production. This makes it an important vegetable to include in your diet, especially as you move through your midlife years, because it helps to rid the body of excess fluid.
But there is more to celery as well. It offers stalks of protection to help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. It is also high in fibre. This makes celery great for managing cholesterol and regulating blood sugar levels. The short-chain fatty acids produced through the fermentation of soluble fibre in the large intestine serve to stabilize blood glucose levels, lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the blood, as well as increase the production of immune cells. [Abd El-Mageed, 2011].
Mushrooms are also beneficial to our health but this depends on the type of mushroom you eat. And whilst we all need to be careful about the amount and type of raw mushrooms that we eat, these fungi are becoming more widely known for their healing powers, especially in terms of lowering cholesterol levels and boosting our liver and immune health. Research is also suggestive that button mushrooms may offer protection against post-menopause breast cancer (Shin, 2010].
So, no matter whether it’s hot and muggy outside because you are in the Southern Hemisphere or whether you want a winter-warmer if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you might like to add this delicious One Pot Mushroom and Celery Soup to your diet this week.
Furthermore, if you are pushed for time, then it’s a great soup to also make in advance of your busy week and put in the freezer ready for when you need it.
The MyMT™ KITCHEN: One Pot Mushroom and Celery Soup
Ingredients (makes enough for 2 people)
Ingredients
- 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 6 button mushrooms, chopped.
- 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups of veggie stock (boiling water and stock powder)
- Salt and pepper
- Gluten free, wholegrain or sourdough bread to serve
Method
Place garlic and olive oil into the soup pot and fry on low for 5 minutes (or until garlic is fragrant). Add the cumin when there is 1 minute remaining.
Turn the heat up to medium. Add the celery and fry for an extra 3 minutes.
Add the veggie stock and the mushrooms to the pot and simmer on low – medium for approximately 20 minutes (or until the mushrooms and celery are soft). After 15 minutes, add the lemon juice.
Season with salt and pepper, and serve with a slice of bread.
References:
Abd El-Mageed NM. Hepatoprotective effect of feeding celery leaves mixed with chicory leaves and barley grains to hypercholesterolemic rats. Pharmacogn Mag. 2011 Apr;7(26):151-6.
Khatun K, Mahtab H, Khanam PA, Sayeed MA, Khan KA. Oyster mushroom reduced blood glucose and cholesterol in diabetic subjects. Mymensingh Med J. 2007 Jan;16(1):94-9.
Shin A, Kim J, Lim SY, Kim G, Sung MK, Lee ES, Ro J. Dietary mushroom intake and the risk of breast cancer based on hormone receptor status. Nutr Cancer. 2010;62(4):476-83.
