Recipe: Golden Soup
The most universal quality of traditional postpartum cooking is that food be served warm and cooked as it’s easier on digestion and aids new mothers to keep warm and feel grounded.
As far as healing meals go, soup may very well be my favourite, and this Golden Soup not only tastes delicious but it's like a little bowl of sunshine.
It’s filled with wonderful ingredients for early postpartum and can easily be prepared and stored in advance.
Bone broth is an incredible source of minerals. Specifically, magnesium to aid muscle repair, and calcium to help rebuild stores that are often depleted in late pregnancy. It’s also abundant in collagen which plays a major role in repairing tissue which helps to support physical healing after birth.
Turmeric, a wonderful spice for the early weeks known as a uterotonic which gently stimulates the uterus helping it return to its pre-pregnancy size. It also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
Cashews high in monounsaturated fats help tackle the hormonal fluctuations and fatigue associated with the postpartum period. They also give the soup a delicious creaminess and provide lasting satiation.
Cauliflower with high nutritional content is an excellent source of fiber, which helps to reduce inflammation and promote digestive health, particularly important to help avoid constipation in the early weeks.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons ghee
Half an onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 cup of raw cashews, soaked overnight then drained
1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
7 - 8 cups of bone broth
2 teaspoons salt
Squeeze of lemon juice
Method
1 / Preheat the oven to 180C. Rub the cauliflower with 2 tbsp of ghee and roast for 30 minutes or until tender.
2 / Meanwhile, heat the remaining ghee in a deep pot. Add the onion and sauté on medium for 10 minutes. Then add the garlic, cashews, and turmeric, stirring for a further minute or until fragrant.
3 / Add the cooked cauliflower, bone broth (start with around 4 cups), and salt. Bring to a simmer then transfer the soup into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. This is best done in batches.
4 / Return the soup to the pot and add the remaining bone broth (2 - 3 cups) if you need to thin it out. Add the lemon juice and season with extra salt if needed.
Best enjoyed warm topped with extra ghee. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.