Raw veggie soup, with lacto-fermented sauerkraut

Bunches of Carrots

By Cat, Jan 2009 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

The first evening of our 7-day veggie-juice fast (1), we were served this soup; that last ‘solid’ food for a week. Despite the odd list of ingredients, this is a delicious soup. This recipe makes a large batch (32 servings); I include a version in which I estimate the amounts for 1 – 2 servings (1 ½ cups).

See also: 1. Soups & Stocks Menu; 2. Sauerkraut (Lacto-Fermented); Three recipes

Raw Veggie Soup, with Kraut

This recipe is from the Wellness Education Center (WEC) juice-fast book (1).

It goes without saying that you should use organically-grown ingredients, preferably locally-grown if you don’t grow them yourself. Certified Organic is important for the zucchini (or summer squash), because commercial versions are likely GMO.

This recipe includes lacto-fermented sauerkraut. I highly recommend making your own; alternately, use brands (such as Bubba’s) found in the refrigerator section of your local market. I don’t recommend using canned sauerkraut, as it has been heat-treated and thus is not raw; also it doesn’t contain all the beneficial probiotic bacteria of facto-fermented sauerkraut.

Ingredients & Equipment (full recipe):

• 10 pounds carrots, or enough to yield 10 cups juice
• 2 – 3 pounds celery
• 2 – 3 pounds zucchini (use Organic, as commercial zucchini is likely GMO)
• 1 small onion
• ½ cup Braggs liquid aminos
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp curry powder (commercial blend, or make your own; be sure to include turmeric)
• 1 Tbsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups raw sauerkraut
• 2 cups almond or tahini butter (NOTE: Do not include the nut butter if eating the first night of breaking a fast; increase zucchini instead)
• filtered water
• Equipment
• Vita Mix or blender

Ingredients & Equipment (2 serv):

• 6 oz carrot, to yield ⅔ cup juice
• 1 oz celery
• 1 oz zucchini (use Organic, as commercial zucchini is likely GMO)
• tiny wedge of onion (1/16)
• 1 ½ tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
• ½ clove garlic (or 1 small clove)
• pinch curry powder (commercial blend, or make your own; be sure to include turmeric)
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp raw sauerkraut
• 1 Tbsp almond or tahini butter (NOTE: Do not include the nut butter if eating the first night of breaking a fast; increase zucchini instead)
• filtered water
• Equipment
• Vita Mix or blender

Method:

1. Scrub then juice the carrots, enough to make 10 cups juice (⅔ cup for 2 servings). Save the pulp in case soup needs thickening; set aside
2. Scrub, then cut up celery and zucchini into 1 – 2″ lengths and set aside
3. Cut onion into quarters (or smaller if using a blender).
4. Combine onion with remaining ingredients in Vita-mix or regular blender. Add enough water to the 6 cup mark on the Vita Mix (⅜ cup for 2 servings). Blend well (makes 8 cups after blending — ½ cup for 2 servings).
5. Add carrot juice and blend again.
6. Add the celery and zucchini chunks; blend until mixture of small chunks. If you want a thicker soup, add some of the reserved carrot pulp.
7. Serve!

References:

1. Juice fast book, Wellness Education Center (WEC), Kalispell MT.