Soup. Soupa-doop. Soupa-doopa-doopa-doop. Grab your salt ‘n pepa (get it?!) and let’s finish off this last month of winter with some cozy, comforting, cold-fighting soup! Nineteen. More. Days.

Although I love living in a country that experiences four diverse seasons, winter is always way too long. And as a teacher, it’s hard NOT to pick up a few illnesses during the winter season at school. This soup is my remedy. It has turmeric, an immune-boosting, detoxifying anti-inflammatory, and ginger, a nausea-relieving, cancer-fighting, all-round great-for-you root vegetable. Let’s fight that cold together!

The best days are the ones where you get to walk through your front door, sniff the air and remember back to this morning when you threw your dinner into the crockpot, and now it’s ready for you. Now all you have to do is take your bra off, put your sweatpants on, grab your ladle and slurp away. MMMhhhhmmmmm.

I recommend having your veggies all chopped the night before, that way you can just throw them in the crockpot when you wake up and away you go. If you are a morning person, firstly, please tell me your secret, and secondly, morning chopping is also an option. Note: This recipe may also be made on the weekend.

I always start this recipe by tossing my chopped onions into my crockpot with some olive oil, turning it to high heat and letting them warm up while I prep the rest of my ingredients. The heat begins to soften them before everything else enters the pot and starts to crowd them. After the onions have softened up slightly, I add in the garlic, ginger and spices and toast them up until fragrant. I then put everything else in the crockpot, put the lid on and say, “Bye, see you in a few hours. I love you. Keep warm.”

If you are still reading this:

1. Thank you.
2. I’m sorry.

Let’s make soup!

Crockpot Ginger and Turmeric Immune-Boosting Soup

Serving size: 6-8

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 3-4 hours

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 heaping tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsps turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup carrots, diced (about 2 medium carrots)
• 1.5 cups celery, diced (about 4 stalks)
• 1 cup butternut squash, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 2 big handfuls baby spinach
• 100g vermicelli noodles (optional)
• Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnishing (optional)

Instructions:

1. Turn your crockpot on high and add the olive oil and onion. Let this heat up while you prepare all of your other ingredients, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, basil, oregano, turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper to the crock pot and stir around with a wooden spoon. Let the spices begin to toast and the garlic and ginger to become fragrant, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste until everything is coated.
4. Add the carrots, celery, squash, bay leaf and stock. Put the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.
5. About 45 minutes before the end time, open lid and add in the lentils. Close the lid again and let cook for the remaining 45 minutes.
6. When the soup is ready (vegetables are tender, lentils are cooked through), discard the bay leaf and taste, adjusting salt and pepper according to preference. Add the spinach and vermicelli noodles (if using), and put the lid on for 2 more minutes to soften.
7. Ladle soup into bowls and top with freshly chopped herbs.

NOTES:

Avocado is also a great topping for this soup.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.