Summer is officially in full swing and the swim suits in heavy rotation. I never quite feel like I’m ready to walk around in my suit, but it’s proven pretty difficult to swim in denim shorts and a Tshirt.
I’ve previously referenced my problems with committing to hard core diets. But I do like to be healthy. Making a pot of this Lemon Broth Soup once a week and consuming for lunch helps keep everything in balance. I got the idea from following a few of my favorite healthy celebs on the IG Stories and have adapted it for myself. What’s so great is that you can truly customize this soup to your own tastes!
I used avocado oil, 3-4 whole carrots, 3-4 stalks of celery, half a sweet onion, a stump of ginger, 3 cloves of garlic and quite a few whole sprigs of both fresh rosemary and fresh thyme, mushrooms, and a whole lemon (or 2).
Swirl your Avocado oil in a dutch oven and heat. Add rough chopped carrot, celery and onion; diced ginger and garlic and stir allowing to cook down and soften.
I prefer to tie my herbs together so they’re easy to remove before consumption. I learned this the hard way and did not tie them the first time I made this soup and I spent tedious amounts of time filtering sprigs out of my soup (and my teeth).
After a 5-8 minute of sautéing, add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Juice your lemon(s) and add. I also add a dash of white wine because the acidity helps soften the veges and I just really like cooking with wine. Taste test after 10-15 minutes of a rolling boil and see if you prefer more water or more lemon flavor. Adjust accordingly.
After boiling and tasting, reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Then add sliced mushrooms. Simmer for another 30 minutes. Remove the herbs and consume!
This is where the soup is super customizable. You can strain the entire contents into just a broth. I leave my vegetables in. My husband is allergic to mushrooms, so I wouldn’t use them if he was in town.
I store this in the fridge and heat a serving for lunch. It lasts about a week if I’m the only one eating it. I pour the broth into a smaller pot on the stove and either have just broth or add some new ingredients for that serving. You can add cooked diced or shredded chicken, bell peppers, jalapeños, shrimp, or whatever else your heart desires that works with a bright lemon broth.
This is a clean, low sodium, totally natural way to fill your belly and eat well. It’s super convenient for lunches on the go for anyone in the family. It’s also a great lemon broth base for anything else you might want to cook the following couple of days. Fix it and forget it! And feel better rocking that suit at the pool without heavy foods weighing you down and sticking in all the wrong places.
Please comment with any additions you make to this Lemon Broth Soup. I’d love new ideas! And check out our IG Stories Favorites for a few helpful visual aids.
Cheers,
Jana
