Digestive and Immune System Tonic

If you aren't optimally digesting your meals, you might try including fresh ginger in your daily routine. Ginger has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a tonic for the digestive system for its ability to promote relaxation of the smooth muscles that line the gastrointestinal tract.

Ginger carrot soup is an ideal tonic for the GI tract because it is abundant in carotenoids that can be converted to vitamin A in your body; vitamin A is essential for maintenance of healthy mucosal linings, including the lining of your digestive tract.

Include some fresh orange juice for its natural vitamin C content, as well as some mineral-rich broth, and you have a mouthwatering soup that's good for your overall health, and particularly nourishing for your digestive and immune systems. - Ben Kim

Nutmeg is an optional ingredient, but if you have some sitting around in a cupboard, I highly recommend that you add a pinch, as nutmeg goes together brilliantly with the rest of the ingredients in this radiant soup.

Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 piece fresh ginger (about 3 inches long), peeled and coarsely chopped

1.25 pounds carrots, roughly chopped into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

5 cups vegetable broth

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Small pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook onion and ginger in olive oil over medium heat in a soup pot. Stir occasionally - cook for about 5 minutes or until onions and ginger have softened.

2. Add carrots

orange juice,

and vegetable broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover with lid, and let simmer for about 45 minutes or until carrots are quite soft.

3. Transfer soup in batches to a blender and blend until smooth.

If you have a hand-held blender, you can blend the whole batch right in the pot.

4. Season soup with sea salt, pepper, and nutmeg if you have it on hand.

The flavors in this delicious ginger carrot soup go together quite nicely with a ripe, room temperature avocado. If you enjoy avocados, try garnishing this soup with a few avocado slices just before serving.

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Ginger Carrot Soup Recipe