Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Pescatarian, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Serves: 3
Preparation Time: 3 minutes
Cooking Time: 27 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Description

I wanted to create a soup loaded with celery due to its health-promoting properties. To make it quick and easy for you to see what these are, I have listed them below:

• Celery contains disease-preventive phytonutrients, such as coumarins and aceylenics, which are known to assist in preventing free radical damage (DeFelice, 2003).
• Celery contains high amounts of potassium, an important electrolyte that helps to maintain stable blood pressure
• Celery is a great source of vitamin K (which helps with blood clotting), vitamin C (a known antioxidant) and folate (good for nerve health) (Nutrition Data Self, 2014).

The reasons above should be enough to encourage anyone to make this soup, but also if you’re partial to any soup or sauce that is creamy but in a dairy-free way! So if you’re vegan, intolerant or if you simply want to cut down on your consumption of dairy products then coconut cream is such a great alternative.

Coconut also makes this soup more filling. I find if a soup is sometimes too watered-down then you may end up going back for seconds (if not thirds). As far as soups go it’s a heavier one but it can definitely keep you going for longer!

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp coconut oil
• 450g celery
• 1 potato (200g, roughly chopped)
• 1 white onion (diced)
• 2 garlic cloves (diced)
• 1 pint vegetable stock (check the label if you have an allergy or intolerance)
• 100ml coconut cream
• Salt & pepper (to season)
• A sprinkling of sunflower seeds (optional)

Method

1. Fry the onion and garlic in the coconut oil in a saucepan on a medium heat, until soft.
2. Add in the vegetable stock, potato, celery, coconut cream, salt and pepper and simmer on a medium heat for 20 minutes with the lid on (if the liquid starts to boil over then reduce the heat slightly).
3. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a blender and blend until smooth, then its ready to serve with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds.

 

References:

DeFelice, E. (2003). Nutrition and Health: Web Resource Guide for Consumers Healthcare Providers, Patients and Physicians, Nebraska: iUniverse, Inc. [Online]. Available at: Google Books (Accessed: 1 June 2018).

Nutrition Data Self. (2017). Celery. Available at: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2356/2 (Accessed: 1 June 2018).