Bean Soup for the Soul

Last week, I caught a cold that was bad enough to make me drop out of “doing” mode and move into a “self-caring” mode  (Imagine that!). I slowed down, rested when I needed to, drank lots of herbal teas and made myself a huge pot of healthy, delicious, immune boosting nourishing bean stew that I ate for days.

Now that the caring plan has worked and I’m feeling healthy, I’m tempted to jump right back into doing mode. Just this morning, I wanted to jump on and log onto email instead of doing some much needed morning yoga. However, I really listened to my body asking, “Why do I have to be sick to get a little attention?” So, instead of waiting until I’m sick to rest and restore, I’m being more mindful about putting in acts of self-care everyday instead of waiting until I don’t feel well.

And, because it helped me when I was sick, I am including my recipe for Posole Verde, a delicious, Mexican-inspired stew loaded with immune-enhancing ingredients I originally created for Delicious Living magazine.

Posole Verde with Sweet Potatoes and Beans

Serves 6 / This delicious stew is loaded with garlic, which stimulates production of disease-fighting white blood cells. Jalapeño and bell pepper provide vitamin C, which improves white blood cell production and function.

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 pound whole tomatillos, husked and rinsed

5 cloves garlic, divided

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, and diced

3 cups cooked posole or two (15-ounce) cans hominy, drained

2 (14.5-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds, ground, for garnish

Lime wedges, for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine broth, tomatillos, 2 whole cloves garlic, and jalapeño; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft, 15–20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and then transfer vegetables plus liquids to a blender or food processor. Add oregano and blend to liquefy (work in batches if necessary).

Mince remaining 3 cloves garlic. In the same saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add minced garlic, onion, and bell pepper; cook until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, sweet potatoes, and tomatillo mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are cooked through but not mushy.

Stir in posole and beans and heat through, about 5 minutes. Divide stew into bowls and garnish with ground pumpkin seeds and lime wedges.

How do you take care of yourself when you aren’t well? Try incorporating some of those practices daily when you are feeling healthy so you have a greater likelihood of staying that way!

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