It’s Time to Warm Up Your Spleen

If you’re feeling colder and bundling up, it may be time to look at what you’re eating and drinking too. As we settle into autumn, pull out the crock pot and move away from raw, cold foods like smoothies, salads and chilled juices. Reach instead for warming foods: soups, stews and cooked cereals.

Why? In Chinese medicine, the spleen is the organ responsible for absorbing nutrients and generating blood and energy, and the spleen loves warm, moist foods. A diet heavy in cold, raw food, especially a smoothie first thing in the morning, can leave you with abdominal pain, cramps, bloating and diarrhea, or just feeling cold all over.

A great spleen tonic is carrot soup. Below is my absolute favourite recipe. Make a batch, then treat yourself to a warm bowl each day.

Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients

• 3 large carrots (the big ones you find at Chinese markets)
• 2 large yams
• 1 large sweet Maui onion or white onion
• 1 box (900 ml) chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 apples, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 large slices fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Toasted pumpkin seeds, for topping (optional)

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, sauté the onion until translucent.
2. Add the chopped carrots, yams and apples. Large chunks are fine, since you’ll purée the soup.
3. Add the chicken broth, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon.
4. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
5. Carefully transfer the soup to your blender and purée until smooth (see the blender tip below).
6. Pour the soup back into the pot, stir in the coconut milk and heat gently. Don’t let it boil.
7. Serve topped with fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.

Tips

• Make it your own. Feel free to add any orange vegetable you have on hand, such as pumpkin or squash.
• Boost the protein. Sprinkle toasted pumpkin seeds on top. They add protein and are a good source of iron.
• Blend safely. Hot soup expands in a blender and can burst out the top. Let it cool for a few minutes, fill the blender no more than halfway, and hold the lid down with a towel. I use my Ninja and it works great, but a regular blender needs extra care. An immersion (stick) blender is the easiest option of all.
• For sensitive tummies (low-FODMAP). If you have IBS, onion and apple are common triggers. Skip the onion and sauté the green tops of spring onions or leeks in garlic-infused oil instead. Leave out the apple, or add a drizzle of maple syrup for sweetness. Use an onion-free and garlic-free broth, and keep servings to about one cup.