Have you ever felt like standing up for one of your favorite roots? It just seems that ever since the glycemic index has become popular, potatoes have taken a hit. Since my uncle was a potato farmer, they were a staple in our food choices. Growing up, we also used to eat a lot of celery and fully enjoyed our celery soup. Unfortunately, most of today’s soup makers add MSG to their soups. That’s why this recipe to so popular. Its quick, easy AND healthy.
Rotate this recipe in your Fresh Start or just enjoy it as a light meal. You can lighten up on the curry if you don’t like it so spicy. In fact, you may want to add curry a little at a time by taste because some curry’s are more spicy than others.
Celery is actually a Mediterranean herb which originated in Europe. It is rich in sodium and its leaves are a rich source of flavonoid antioxidants such as zea-xanthin, lutein, and beta-carotene, which have anti-oxidant, cancer protective and immune-boosting functions. For this reason, celery has been acknowledged as a functional food.
Potatoes are a starchy root vegetable of Central American origin. Potatoes are one of the richest sources of starch, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. They are high in potassium and other minerals and contain very little fat and no cholesterol.
When coupling these two vegetables together, you are feeding the sodium/potassium exchange over the cell wall of each of your cells. It’s like you are basking your body at the cellular level with the minerals it needs to thrive~!
The sodium potassium pump is a well understood example of active transport. Sodium and potassium ions are pumped in opposite directions across the membrane building up a chemical and electrical gradient for each. These gradients can be used to drive other transport processes. In nerve cells the pump is used to generate gradients of both sodium and potassium ions. These gradients are used to propagate electrical signals that travel along nerves. Therefore the action of nervous tissue requires ATP to generate resting potentials. Poisons that disable the pump prevent proper functioning of the nervous system.1
Why is this important? it regulates the water balance and the acid-base balance in the blood and tissues, helps generate muscle contractions and regulates the heartbeat, preventing the swelling of cells, In the nerve cells, this sodium-potassium flux generates the electrical potential that aids the conduction of nerve impulses. If the sodium is not pumped out of the cell, eventually, it swells and can burst. There are more benefits to your health that you don’t want to miss, so enjoy this delicious soup and let your cells bask in Vitality.
Curried Celery Soup
2 teas. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, sliced
1 ½ pounds celery, chopped
1 T med or hot curry powder
8 ounces unpeeled potatoes, washed and diced
3 3/4 cups Vegetable Stock (for creamier use ½ cashew or rice milk)
Mixed herbs (I love cilantro in this)
Salt
Celery seeds and leaves to garnish
Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, leek and celery, cover and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Sprink in the curry powder and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, vegetable stock (and milk), cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, but not too soft.
4. Remove and set the soup aside to cool slightly before processing it. Separate about half of the vegetables and drain the stock into the batch that you process.
5. Transfer the soup to a blender and process in batches, until smooth. Return the processed soup back into the drained vegetables to get a smooth and chunky Celery Soup.
6. Add the mixed herbs, season to taste with salt. Return to the pan and reheat gently until piping hot. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish each one with a sprinking of celery seeks and a few celery leaves before serving.
It feels SO good to be energized after you eat and this soup is no exception. This is a quick and easy soup to prepare and even your kids will enjoy it. Shhh… don’t tell them how good it is for you~! Enjoy – Debi
