Anti-Inflammatory Broccoli Soup

This time of year - and especially relevant during cold and flu season when we have to deal with not only cold and flu, but Covid as well - I see a ton of recipes and articles all over the internet about what foods you should be eating to boost your immune system and fight off infections.

I had previously posted my recipe for Golden Milk Powder and the recipe I am posting today also uses turmeric. This one tastes much better than a shot of turmeric water although it takes a bit more time to make.

Ingredients

2C Leeks, chopped - I am a fan of leeks but I am not a fan of the prep work it takes to deal with them. For the most part, the leeks I buy are locally produced straight from the farm to my table. But that also means they are not as clean as the ones you would buy from the store. For farm fresh, you might find some soil in between the outer leaves. Rinse well and cut the stalk into thin slices.

1C Carrot, chopped - Carrots take more time to cook than other vegetables as they can be quite woody, especially if they are large. I like to cut them into matchsticks so they cook faster

2T Ginger, minced - I like using prepared ginger myself as chopping it fine by hand can be tedious. If you have fresh ginger (and time) you could grate some. I do not see a difference in taste other than some brands pack their chopped ginger in water and some in vinegar.

4C Broccoli, chopped - Some people use only the broccoli tops but I like to use the whole thing - stems and all. As for the carrots, chopping the stems into smaller pieces helps it cook more evenly along with the rest of the vegetables

1t Turmeric powder - Turmeric has a flavour that is unique to it. It has been used in India in both food and medicine for a long time. It is what gives some curries their yellow colouring and distinct flavour. You can use actual Turmeric Spice or my recipe for Golden Milk Powder for an extra boost as it has cinnamon, ginger and black pepper in it. - https://www.blogger.com/u/1/blog/post/edit/2432453232011918590/7300482452339243697

1/2t Cumin - See the note at the end of the recipe.

1/4t dried Red pepper flakes, crushed

2 cloves Garlic, minced - as with the ginger I prefer to purchase garlic pre-minced. It saves a lot of time and I find when I handle garlic too much I never seem to get the smell off my hands.

3C Broth - This could be from the store or homemade. I save the liquid from cooking vegetables so I always have some sort of stock on hand. For an extra immune boost, you could try Bone Broth

Salt, Pepper to taste

Directions

Place all of the ingredients into a slow cooker. Following the directions for your slow cooker, cook the soup on high for several hours or until the vegetables are tender. The broccoli flowers will be the first the cook through, followed by the leeks and the carrots are usually the last to completely cook through.

Notes:

I like to toast all of the spices in this recipe together in a warm skillet. Put a skillet on medium heat. Allow it to heat up and then add the spices. Stirring frequently to heat them up but do not allow them to get too hot or burn. The flavour of the spices really comes out and it does not take too long. Your mouth will thank you.