It’s been awhile since I’ve posted any recipes but I made this the other day and figured I should post it! It is super easy and will nourish your microbiome (gut bacteria). Leeks, which are in the onion family, contain lots of fiber, which is what your microbiome “eats” and are an all star cancer fighter! They are angiogenesis inhibitors which means they prevent abnormal cells from obtaining blood so they can’t grow into cancer! One thing to keep in mind is if you don’t regularly eat onions, start slow to minimize any gas/bloating and slowly increase your consumption. The more you eat a certain type of plant food, the more your microbiome adapts to digest that food!
potato leek soup
adapted from david lebovitz
ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 leeks, washed and sliced
salt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon chile powder
5-6 cups filtered water
2 pounds potatoes, cubed (peeling optional)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon freshly-ground white pepper (this makes the soup)
directions
in a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. add the sliced leeks and season with salt. cook the leeks over low heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’re completely soft and wilted. do not brown them.
add the thyme and chile powder, and stir for about 30 seconds, cooking them with the leeks to release their flavor flavors.
add the potatoes and bay leaf. pour in water, enough just to barely cover potatoes.
cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender when poked with a sharp knife. depending on which potatoes you used, it could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.
pluck out the bay leaves and puree the soup with the white pepper, seasoning with more salt if necessary. i use an immersion (stick) blender, but if you use an upright blender, be sure not to fill it more than half-full and secure the lid, and cover it with a tea towel when blending, to avoid hot soup or steam for causing problems. (don’t use a food processor as that will make the potato purée gummy)
if the soup is too thick, add a bit more water, until it’s the desired consistency. serve warm with crusty bread. leftovers store in refrigerator for a few days.
