Green Goddess Soup - with Eczema Friendly Ingredients

A typical Green Goodness Soup usually calls for ingredients such as spinach, kale, broccoli and other higher salicylate greens. However, for those following my Eczema Detox programs, these green vegetables can be problematic if you're sensitive to food chemicals such as salicylates, amines and glutamates. 

At Eczema Life, we focus on a low food chemical approach with supporting nutrients for our sensitive patients, who often find removing or limiting these foods from their diet for a period of time can allow the skin to calm and recover.

BUT, there are still many greens lower in salicylates and amines which offer amazing benefits, yet are not as likely to contribute to skin flares like some of their fellow greens.

The health benefits:

Brussels sprouts provide fantastic detoxifying and anti-inflammatory support.  Interestingly, one of the ways in which Brussels sprouts provide this is through their omega 3 content (omega 3 is anti-inflammatory). About 1.5 cups of Brussels sprouts provides over 1 third of the daily recommended omega 3 intake. 

Leeks are anti-inflammatory and alkalising which can be beneficial for those with eczema, as inflammation and excess acidity in the body can contribute to skin conditions such as eczema (along with other causes including genetics and gut health issues). Leeks are a rich source of vitamin K, folate and manganese which is vital for healthy skin. 

NOTES: 

If you are following the FID (Food Intolerance Diagnosis program from The Eczema Detox), you can substitute asparagus for green beans, or double amounts of any other FID vegetable used in this recipe. 

If you do not tolerate any of the below ingredients, peeled zucchini, mung beans, peas or shallots could also be trialled.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 heaped cup of peeled diced white potato
• 1 heaped cup of cored and quartered Brussel sprouts
• 1 heaped cup of asparagus, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 heaped cup of leeks, washed and finely diced
• 3/4 cup of diced celery
• 3 tablespoons of chives, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon of good quality salt such as Celtic sea salt
• Filtered water or alkaline vegetable broth for cooking

METHOD:

Place a medium-sized non-stick pan or put on medium heat and add the cubed potatoes, leeks, chives and celery with a 1/4 cup of water. 

Saute ingredients for 5 minutes stirring regularly. If the water evaporates and becomes too dry add another dash of water as needed.

Once the potato is softening, add the rest of the vegetables with the salt and cover the vegetables with filtered water or alkaline vegetable broth (around 2-3 cups).

Cover with a lid and turn the heat to a moderate simmer to allow the vegetables to soften. Top up with water during the cooking process if needed

Once vegetables are cooked through and soft (about 20 minutes) take off the heat and allow to slightly cool down. 

Pour the vegetables and water or broth into a high-speed blender or Nutri bullet (this may need to be done in 2 parts depending on the size of the blender).

Blend on high until smooth and combined. Taste and adjust if needed, you may prefer to add additional salt, chives or garlic. 

Pour into a bowl and serve with the toppings of your choice such as roasted chickpeas, cashew cream, toast or chicken. 

Products 

At Eczema Life, we recommend nutritionist Karen Fischer's low food chemical program (The Eczema Detox) along with additive-free supplements for skin health and wellbeing. Click on the images to view more details:

Food photos and recipe by Katie Layland