By: Raine Baljak
Recipes, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Eczema-friendly Vegetarian Soup

Here is a heart-warming soup adapted from my Croatian family’s heirloom Chicken Soup recipe that has been passed down for generations. Now I say that it is an adaptation because this recipe is obviously a vegetable-only version. Some individuals may be sensitive, and/or allergic to chicken because it aggrevates eczema, psoriasis or atopic dermatitis skin conditions. So I have developed this vegan and vegetarian-friendly soup that is safe safe for the skin and stomach. I like to enjoy this dish all seasons of the year.

This soup can also be used as a stock for other dishes, or frozen up to 3-months and reheated for later consumption. Otherwise, after you cook this dish, it is advised to be consumed within 2-days. Take note that after each reheating, the nutrient values will diminish due to breakdown under fire.

The preparation of ingredients takes me under 10 minutes, and the cook time takes about 30 minutes. If you like spicy, then add a fresh chilli at the end. Otherwise, this recipe is easy on the stomach, especially when sick! You will be feeling nice, warm and clear on the inside.

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 thumb of ginger, smashed
  • 1 small or medium sized onion, diced
  • 1 red or orange capsicum
  • 2 medium potatoes or 1 large potato, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, sliced
  • 1 stock of celery, sliced
  • 1 large tomato or 5 cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • Salt and Pepper

Preparation

Prepare all the ingredients into their respective sizes so that they cook evenly. In the image on the right, the following ingredients have been cut and prepared in the following order to maintain its freshness and natural oils:

  • Dice the potatoes and allow to sit in water until cooked to prevent browning or going off
  • Dice the carrots
  • Dice the capsicum with seeds removed
  • Slice the celery
  • Slice the tomato into fourths
  • Smash, or slice the garlic and ginger
  • Dice the onion

Method

The first step is to pour 1.5 liters into a pot and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the garlic, ginger and onions.

Once the garlic and onion turn translucent, then add the carrot and bring to a boil. About 5 to 8 minutes later, then add the capsicum and potatoes.

Before the potatoes soften, be sure to add the tomato and celery and allow everything to boil for 15 to 20 minutes.

At your preferred amount, add salt and pepper to taste.

The outcome of your cooking should look like the following image on the right where the celery leaves are a faded green color, the tomato skin has peeled off, the potatoes and carrots have softened, and the onions are translucent.

The aroma of the celery would be strong and the appearance of the soup would be a clear orange from the beta-carotene of the carrot.

The soup should provide a refreshing taste as this dish is easy on the stomach. If you tried my recipe, let me know how you enjoyed it in the comments below!