Gut-Healthy Sunset Soup

So-called for its gut-healthy ingredients, and its flavor profile being from the Maghreb (“Sunset”) region, the western half of the N. African coast.

You will need

• 1 can chickpeas (do not drain)
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp sauerkraut, drained and chopped (yes, it is already chopped, but we want it chopped smaller so it can disperse evenly in the soup)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp harissa paste (adjust per your heat preference)
• 1 tbsp ras el-hanout
• ¼ bulb garlic, crushed
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ¼ tsp MSG or ½ tsp low-sodium salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Optional: herb garnish; we recommend cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Heat a little oil in a sauté pan or similar (something suitable for combination cooking, as we’ll be frying first and then adding liquids), and fry the onion and carrot until the onion is soft and translucent; about 5 minutes.

2) Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, harissa paste, and ras el-hanout, and fry for a further 1 minute.

3) Add the remaining ingredients* except the lemon juice. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.

*So yes, this includes adding the “chickpea water” also called “aquafaba”; it adds flavor and also gut-healthy fiber in the form of oligosaccharides and resistant starches, which your gut microbiota can use to make short-chain fatty acids, which improve immune function and benefit the health in more ways than we can reasonably mention as a by-the-way in a recipe.

4) Stir in the lemon juice, and serve, adding a herb garnish if you wish.

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits? ← today’s recipe scored 5/5 of these, plus quite a few more! Remember that ras el-hanout is a spice blend, so if you’re thinking “wait, where’s the…?” then it’s in the ras el-hanout 😉
• Making Friends With Your Gut (You Can Thank Us Later)
• Lycopene’s Benefits For The Gut, Heart, Brain, & More ← not to be underestimated!

Take care!