Quick and Healthy Cauliflower, Kale & Coconut Soup Recipe

The days and weeks after giving birth call for warming, nourishing foods.

This cauliflower, kale and coconut soup is comforting and speedy to throw together. Ideal for the post-natal period when time is short and attention-spans are even shorter.

Better still, cook up a couple of batches in advance of having your baby and freeze in portions so you have a nutrient-packed meal to hand without even having to think about it.

If you are planning to cook it on the spot, the only thing it's useful to have made up before hand is the stock. This recipe uses chicken stock because of its precious collagen and glycine content, beneficial for healing the skin and gut. But vegetable stock would work well too.

Combined with the stock and turmeric, the cruciferous veggies make this soup a nutritious all-rounder for post-partum mothers. Cauliflower and kale are rich in beta-carotone, B vitamins, and vitamins C, K, plus the minerals copper, iron, magnesium and manganese. 

This all-star combination makes them anti-inflammatory, immune system boosting and antioxidant; properties that can help tissues to heal and contribute to recovery. If you can't get hold of kale, chard or spinach would work just as well.

The key to getting the most from these veggies is not overcooking them, which is why I keeping cooking time short and sweet. By using the liquid the veggies are cooked in for the soup, you'll also preserve any nutrients that have leached out.

Ingredients

Serves 4 

• 200ml coconut milk (I like Biona full fat) - and a little extra for serving
• 500ml homemade chicken/vegetable stock
• 150g kale, washed and roughly chopped
• 150g cauliflower (including leaves), washed and roughly chopped
• 1tsp turmeric
• Good grind of sea salt and pepper
• Handful of cashews - ideally soaked in water for 8 hours beforehand (this makes them easier to digest and their nutrients more easily absorbed)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

Method

1. Combine the stock, coconut milk, garlic and turmeric in a large pan and bring to a boil. Once bubbling, add the cauliflower, kale, salt and pepper.

2. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes until the cauliflower is just tender but still firm.

3. Allow to cool for another 5 minutes then add to a blender/food processor with the cashews.

4. Blend on high speed until you get a completely smooth and creamy consistency.

5. Serve with an extra drizzle of coconut milk on top. To make this a heartier meal, add some cooked quinoa to the blended soup.

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