I love sharing my health journey and all of the new things I’m learning to optimize my health and wellness. I get so excited every time I learn or try something new that works and want to share it! Recently, I’ve been learning about how eating seasonally can positively impact health, economies, and the environment.
Consuming “seasonal” foods is a fancy way of saying you choose your fruits and vegetables based on what season they are naturally ready to be harvested in. Of course, if you walk into any American grocery store, you’ll find every type of fruit and vegetable, because, thanks to GMO farming and importing, we largely have every food readily available. There is a biological reason though that watermelon tastes better in the summer and apples taste better in the fall. These foods are meant to bring us what we need in each season. Watermelon is 92%—you guessed it—water, meaning that it is one of the most hydrating foods we can eat. It makes sense that this fruit is ripest in summer, when we need extra hydration. The same goes for apples, which, as the saying goes, “keep the doctor away,” probably because they contain a high level of vitamin C—the immune booster—and ripen at the beginning of fall, right when cold season begins. Eating seasonally can boost your natural immune system and bring your body what it needs in each season. It can also boost local economies when you buy from nearby farmer’s markets, and cut down on carbon pollution because the foods you’re eating aren’t flown in on a jet.
Now, I love mango year-round and know a lot of our food supply relies on importing and exporting. Like with everything I’ve shared about health, wellness, fitness, and life at large, I am not suggesting you’re doing something wrong by not eating seasonally, or that you need to switch to only seasonal foods all at once.
This is one of those small changes that can make a big impact over time, and since I’m learning about it, I wanted to start this series to share what seasonal recipes I’m loving.
This week is my carrot ginger soup, the perfect warm, immune boosting, cozy meal to celebrate fall in full swing. Side note: Because it’s packed with protein and ginger, which is a natural immune-boosting super food, it also helps ward off oncoming colds. I made this soup for my mom, who was feeling under the weather one night, and after a full bowl and a solid 10 hours of sleep, she woke up feeling so much better! I highly recommend this recipe for cold nights, a quick healthy meal, or when you (or a loved one) are feeling like you’re coming down with something.
SIENNA’S CARROT GINGER SOUP WITH CHICKEN:
1 yellow onion, diced
3-4 large carrots, chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 thumb-nail sized chunk of ginger, diced (can sub 2 tbsp. Ground ginger if you don’t have fresh)
2 tbsp butter
1 carton of organic chicken, vegetable, or bone broth
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
***Optional: add cooked shredded chicken for extra protein!
DIRECTIONS:
-Brown onions and garlic in butter on low to medium heat until the onions turn translucent. Add carrots, ginger, and celery and cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
-Add broth of choice (my favorite is chicken broth) and salt and pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium heat until carrots are tender when poked with a fork.
-Eat with a slice of your favorite sourdough bread and enjoy!
