Kari's Home of Fantastic Online Finds

I love to cook for my family, and most of my favorite recipes are simple, easy and quick, yet yummy and delicious! I’ve been a single-mom most of my adult life, and I work full-time. So, I really appreciate easy time-saving recipes, whether they are for daily meals, holidays or other special occasions.

Healing Japanese Onion Soup

This healing Japanese Onion Soup was inspired by the hibachi restaurant Benihana. It has been a staple and favorite recipe of mine for a very long time. I use it often to strengthen the immune system and it’s wonderful when someone isn’t feeling well. I know I need to make this soup if anyone is coming down with something like a cold or if I feel fatigue. It also seems to boost my mood, and I can feel myself switching into gear after consuming a hot bowl. This onion soup is very soothing and pleasant and is easy to customize to your individual taste. Furthermore, it contains so many ingredients with excellent health benefits!

Health Benefits of Superfood Ingredients

Ginger

First of all, GINGER is a magical root used in this recipe that benefits the rate at which food exits and enters our stomach and continues along the digestive process. It encourages efficient digestion and boosts gut health. Plus, it relieves nausea, is anti-inflammatory, and its antioxidants help manage free radicals that can damage cells when their numbers grow too high. Since it’s so great at relieving nausea, chemotherapy patients use it to take the edge off post-treatment nausea without side effects. In addition, pregnant women use it to ease morning sickness, and it is also used to treat constipation and other causes of bloating and intestinal gas. Besides all that, it has an awesome flavor that adds zing to any dish, candy or tea.

Garlic

Another magical ingredient includes GARLIC and is one of my favorite and most used ingredients of all time. It is a plant in the “allium” family closely related to onions, shallots and leeks. Garlic contains compounds with potent medicinal properties. The sulfur compounds from garlic enter your body from the digestive tract. They then travel all over your body, exerting strong biological effects. Garlic’s notable nutrients include manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, selenium and fiber.

Garlic has been widely used throughout ancient history for its health and medicinal properties. The Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed garlic to treat many various medical conditions. It helps boost your body’s immune system, reduce high blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels and prevent cancer along with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. It also has amazing antibacterial qualities that help to prevent things like the common cold. With its strong scent and delicious taste, garlic is used in so many dishes all over the world. “Let food by thy medicine, and medicine be thy food”. – Hippocrates

Onions

The next superfood ingredient includes ONIONS. They are packed with nutrients with low calories and high vitamins, fiber and minerals that benefit heart health and many other things. Loaded with antioxidants, onions help regulate blood sugar by making it easier for your body to produce insulin. They boost bone density, increase and maintain digestive health, and they have antibacterial properties. In addition, onions contain anticancer compounds. Plus, they reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and are a great source of Vitamin C and quercetin, a flavonoid with numerous health benefits. Needless to say, I put a lot of onions in this onion soup including a mixture of white and yellow just for the broth. Then I add chives or green onions to the top as garnishment for serving.

Carrots

Then there are CARROTS, which are roots that are full of benefits! They are best known to promote healthy vision. However, just one large carrot provides 100% of the daily target for Vitamin A. They also aid in the balance of blood sugar, weight management and lower your risk of cancer and reduce the risk of heart disease. They also help to improve immunity and boost brain health. Orange carrots have lots of alpha and beta-carotene. Carrots also provide antioxidants and anti-inflammatories to further the health benefits of their disease-prevention effects.

Celery

Last of all is the vegetable CELERY. There are so many benefits to eating celery. In addition to its vitamin and mineral content, celery is also a source of protective plant compounds called flavonoids, which have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. The top 6 benefits of eating celery include their support for heart health, digestive function, suppress inflammation, improve memory, help manage blood sugar and help with weight management. It’s a great source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, folate, potassium and calcium. You just can’t go wrong by adding celery to your diet.

Moving Right Along

So, these super-nutrient foods are why this soup recipe is so healing, soothing and fantastic! Plus, it tastes wonderful and is great throughout the whole year during any season. Although, I must admit that I do love it when it is cold and frigid outside. When I first think of making this soup, a beautiful image of a memory flashes through my mind…of being curled up on the couch with my soup and a blanket along with my Pekingese babies, Coco Chanel and Roxy, while watching Memoirs of a Geisha!

<<Recipe>>

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp             Beef broth or bouillon (Better than Bouillon)
• 2 Tbsp             Chicken broth or bouillon (Better than Bouillon)
• 2                      Large carrots
• 1-3                   Stalks of celery
• 2-4 Tbsp          Fresh ginger
• 3-5                   Garlic cloves
• 1-2                   Containers of large whole white mushrooms
• 1 Bunch           Chives or green onions
• 1 box               French fried onions
• 1-4                   Large yellow or white onions
• 8 cups              Water

Directions:

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