I’m always looking for ways to incorporate the inflammation fighting spice turmeric into my family’s diet. A basic soup recipe I’ve made for several years combines tomatoes, turmeric and black pepper for a colourful and delicious meal. It’s one simple way to get more turmeric into our day.
Turmeric/Curcumin Cools Inflammation
Did you know there are over 6,000 studies substantiating the health benefits of turmeric and its active component curcumin? Many of those studies demonstrate how turmeric beats drugs such as Lipitor, steroids, Metformin, Prozac, Imipramine, Oxaliplatin (a chemotherapy drug), Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Naproxen, Celecoxib, and Tamoxifen.
The journal Science reports lab tests that show curcumin has geno-protective properties – meaning it protects the integrity of DNA – and can counter the genetic damage that leads to cystic fibrosis, a lung disorder. What might this say about repairing other genetic damage?
It is also a powerful cancer fighter. Interestingly curcumin causes damage in the DNA of cancer cells, but at the same time it protects normal cells from genetic damage with its antioxidant activity. Awesome, right!?
(Source)
Inflammation Bomb
Turmeric contributes to digestive health putting out the inflammatory fire of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases.
I believe this highly-pigmented spice belongs in everyone’s diet and wellness plan, for both acute inflammation relief and long-term prevention.
As For Tomatoes
Scientific studies show that lycopene helps prevent prostate, lung, and stomach cancers. There is also some evidence that cancers of the pancreas, colon and rectum, esophagus, oral cavity, breast, and cervix could be reduced with increased lycopene intake. Lycopene may also help reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease by reducing LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.
Lycopene is most available to the body when tomatoes are cooked and eaten in a meal that provides a small amount of fat.
Basic Tomato-Turmeric-Pepper Soup
Ingredients:
Serves 6-8. Feel free to adjust the recipe. This soup will turn out fabulously each time!
- 1 TBSP (or more) coconut oil
- 2 large onions, diced (the sweetness of caramelized onion is one secret of this soup’s flavor!)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tsp. turmeric powder
- 15 sun-ripened tomatoes with skin, quartered
- 1 can organic tomato paste
- 2-3 TBSP lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup bone broth or prepared vegetable stock
- a dash cayenne powder or red pepper flakes, optional, to taste
- 2 1/2 tsp. Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt
- 1 small handful fresh basil, chives, or thyme, chopped (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Top with shredded Parmesan, Asiago or mozzarella, optional.
Cook’s note: Create a whole different soup or chunky stew with the addition of one or more of these ingredients: sausage, bacon, ground beef, ham, lamb or beef chunks, lentils, kidney or pinto beans, potatoes, lima beans, mixed vegetables, chopped spinach or kale, sour cream, red wine, Indian spices, etc.
Directions:
1. Melt coconut oil in a medium-sized Dutch oven or small stock pot.
2. Sauté (caramelize) the chopped onions and garlic cloves just until translucent.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and turmeric, stir.
4. Let cook on medium-high heat until the tomatoes have softened and some of the liquid is reduced – it takes 5- 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 10 minutes.
6. Blend using stick-blender until it’s just the texture you like it.
7. Add black pepper. Cucurmin is absorbed 2000% better by our bodies when paired with black pepper, so make sure you use this abundantly in your soup.
Serve with warm crusty bread and olive oil, green salad and fresh fruit.
Bon appètit!
Have you started using turmeric for inflammation yet?
Ways to use Turmeric Golden Paste in recipes and how to dose turmeric.
If you’ve been encouraged or informed by something you’ve read here at Deep Roots, please consider liking my page on Facebook, joining us on Pinterest, or subscribing to the helpful email resources. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
Rhonda Devine says
I can’t wait until my tomatoes are ripe, giving this recipe a try. I love tomato soup and the addition of turmeric is a great idea, I usually juice turmeric, but can’t wait to try this too. Thanks for sharing!
Julie Snow says
Sounds delicious! About how many cups would say 15 quartered tomatoes yields? We grow some big ones 🙂
Jacqueline says
This is just a guess, Julie, but it might be 15 cups if each tomato was worth a whole cup (your really big ones?). Maybe 10-12 cups if medium tomatoes?
If you have ever canned, you know how you put really hot (cooked) tomatoes in your clean quart jars? You could ‘quick-can’ your soup base (without the water bath) if hot enough (bring to a boil for a few minutes) by getting the recipe all done and canning up what you can’t use for your current meal. Seal it quickly with new lids and rings and let the lids seal as the contents cools on the counter. I wouldn’t put these jars on a pantry shelf and forget about them, but if the lids seal as mine have many times in the past, you will have a nice stock of pasta sauce or soup base to make more meals as the summer progresses and maybe even into the early fall! You may even hear them pop down! Just check that the seals are good before using. (If they don’t seal, they will keep 2 weeks or more beautifully in the fridge.)
I hope this is helpful!
Tina says
I participate in a local CSA and pinned this recipe for my next batch of tomatoes. I had quite a few peppers I needed to use up as well and added them to this soup. It turned out SO AMAZINGLY delicious!!! It’s a perfect blending of lovely flavors of the season. I’m not a fan of the taste of turmeric, and couldn’t discern it once the soup was finished. I will definitely make this again!!
Jacqueline says
I love the idea of adding the red peppers, Tina! I can only imagine the powerful flavor boost they would add! THANK YOU for your idea 🙂
Tina says
They were sweet peppers rather than hot peppers! Though I think a hot pepper would also go nicely in this soup, I had a couple of people eating with me that I knew wouldn’t be able to handle their heat! But the sweet peppers added a lovely depth to an already delicious soup!
Jacqueline says
Tina, I was thinking you meant sweet red peppers, but now that you mention it, adding a bit of warmth and kick via a bit of jalapeno would be amazing, especially on a chilly day in the fall 🙂 Thank you so much for your fun comments! 😀
Tina says
YES!!!! Some heat would be so GOOD in this soup. I opted to leave out the cayenne or red pepper flakes because I knew it wouldn’t go over well with my mom and son. But I DID add a LOT of cracked black pepper. My mom, who sneezes and coughs and sputters with anything peppery asked if the red peppers were what added the “spice in the back of her throat.” I had to confess to adding a bunch of black pepper for the turmeric absorption; which she was all for due to the anti inflammatory aspect. But I have to admit I added a lot due to the fact I knew I (said with emphasis) would love the heat of the cayenne but was skipping it for them! I’m a sneaky rascal sometimes!
Jacqueline says
Haha! You are sneaky, Tina 😉 Good job!