Rosemary Red Soup

I'm making lots of Rosemary Red Soup these days. Why? Cause it's super yummy and nourishing. Don't worry, though...my family is not going to turn pink. I'm making it for my family as well as a friend who just had a baby and one who was just diagnosed with breast cancer. Why? Several reasons. It's high in plant protein from the red lentils, which supports lean body mass, mood and detoxification (among other things). The beets stimulate detoxification due to the high Betain content of the beets. Proper detoxification is key to cancer prevention and diet therapy. The recipe also calls for miso, which is fermented soy. Fermented soy helps prevent reproductive organ cancers, like that of the breast, ovaries and prostate. The live active cultures convert cancer-fighting soy isoflavones into their active forms. Only when these isoflavones are activated, do they do us any good. That, unfortunately, means that most of the soy processed in the U.S. is of little use in cancer prevention (and treatment), since U.S. soy products are typically not cultured. Culturing also makes way for better nutrient absorption from soy, unlike non-cultured soy. But back to Rosemary Red Soup! It's delicious and delightfully colorful. It's also a pretty easy to make, especially if you have a hand blender. This cuts out the need to transfer the hot soup into the blender and back into the pot, which can get messy. Here's the recipe: 2 medium beets, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 2 medium carrots, sliced 1 TBSP ghee or real butter Rosemary--1 TBSP dry, 2 TBSP fresh Orgeano--1 TBSP dry, 2 TBSP fresh 6 cups water or broth (careful for MSG) 1 cup red lentils 2-3 tsp light miso 2 bay leaves 1. Chop beets and carrots first and transfer then into a bowl. 2. Dice onion and saute, heating the soup pot first with ghee or butter. 3. Let onion cook on med/low, stirring. 4. When onion begins to soften, add beets and carrots, stirring often for several minutes. 5. Add 6 cups water or MSG-free broth and turn heat to high. 6. Chop fresh herbs finely and add to pot with bay leaves. 7. Add rinsed and soaked (from 10 min to overnight) red lentils 8. Stir, and when mixture comes to a boil, turn to low/warm and let simmer for 40 min, stirring occasionally. 9. When 40 min has passed, remove from heat and blend with hand blender. 10. Dissolve miso in 1/4 cup hot water, add to soup and mix well. 11. Stir and gently reheat if necessary. 12. For extra flavor add crumbled goat's cheese. Have whole grain bread and salad or cooked greens as sides. OR.. have this it by itself. This is a very satisfying and low cal, but protein-rich (because of the lentils) soup. One more thought: If you're feeling the need to "detox", but still want to get your nutrients in (highly recommended), Rosemary Red Soup is a perfect option for a one to three day "fast", along with good hydration and supportive herbal teas. You can use it by itself for the duration of your "fast" or use other nourishing soups for variety. Remember, detoxifying requires protein and SHOULD NOT involve starvation! Yay!! This recipe is from Feeding the Whole Family (my favorite cookbook), by Cynthia Lair. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do. BTW, Rosemary Red Soup makes a great Valentine's Day gift! Put it in glass jars to show it off and your presentation is done! Blessings and Good Health, The Gourmet Healer