Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup
YIELDS: 8 servings
PREP TIME: 15 mins
COOK TIME: 45 mins
TOTAL TIME: 1 hr
This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup features fresh seasonal produce, hearty wild rice, and a zesty creamy coconut broth.
In autumn, we watch the leaves on trees turn color, dry up and disperse off the tree. In the body, acrid flavors have a similar movement – they are moving, drying, and disperse energy or accumulations of fluid. Some examples of acrid foods include onion, garlic, chiles, ginger, radish, cabbage and many flavorful spices. Acrid flavors can promote sweating, which is quite helpful when kicking pathogens out at the first sign of illness. Acrid also aids in circulation and breaking up stagnation of Qi or Blood, but overuse can cause dryness.
Acrid flavors are the flavor of the Metal element that governs the Fall season making this a perfect recipe to help your body live within harmony of the season. Acrid is often characterized as both a taste and a smell because of the impact it has on the nose, which happens to be the sense organ of the Metal element. Acridity is commonly utilized to disperse congested mucous in the nose.
INGREDIENTS
6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup uncooked wild rice
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed
fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Instant Pot Method
Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Stir briefly to combine.
Pressure cook. Cover and cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes. Let the Instant Pot rest and naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes. Then carefully open the vent and quick release the remaining pressure. Remove lid and discard the bay leaf.
Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!
Stove Top Method
Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning. Stir to combine.
Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!
photo and recipe credits to Gimme Some Oven
