overhead shot of three bowls of soup on a tray with spoons and a napkin

Cancer-Fighting Soup

Thank you to Rachel of Thriving Home for sharing this delicious recipe full of wholesome ingredients!

https://thrivinghomeblog.com/cancer-fighting-soup-for-my-girl-darcie/

Cancer-Fighting Soup (aka Immune-Boosting Soup) is chock full of vegetables, lentils, and black beans that helps fight inflammation in the body. Whether you’re wanting to help someone with a diagnosis or just eat as healthy as possible yourself, this big-batch, freezer-friendly soup fits the bill.

Ingredients

		1–2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2–3 celery stalks, sliced
2 cups carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4–1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less if you don’t like heat)
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
12 cups (or three 32-ounce cartons) of chicken or vegetable broth
1 28–ounce can of crushed tomatoes (look for BPA-free cans)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup dry, quick-cooking lentils (any color will work; rinse first)
2 bay leaves
1 zucchini, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1 cup cauliflower, chopped finely
1 cup broccoli, chopped finely
2–3 cups spinach, chopped
1–2 cups frozen green peas
		
	

Credit: Whitney Resit from Sweet Cayenne

IMPORTANT! Please keep in mind that I am not a dietician or licensed medical practitioner, so please ask your doctor if the ingredients included in this soup are ok for you if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer and/or are receiving treatment. I’ve read that some foods like grapefruit and even garlic can interfere with certain medications.

Pro Tip!

Be sure chop all of the vegetables about the same size so they cook evenly and are bite-sized. It’s actually a pet peeve of mine when vegetable soup contains pieces that are too big to enjoy in one bite. It’s worth taking the time to chop them perfectly.

How to Make Cancer-Fighting Soup

It’s important for you to know that this makes a BIG batch. I did that so you can have leftovers to put in the freezer for later. But, feel free to cut the ingredients in half you want.

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.
Saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 4-5 minutes, until tender. Add in the garlic and stir for 1 more minute. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (to your preferred heat level), and Italian seasoning.
Stir in the chicken or vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans, lentils, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer (slight bubbling), stirring occasionally. Season again lightly with salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the zucchini, mushrooms, cauliflower, and broccoli and simmer another 5-10 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and frozen peas and turn off the heat (or turn to low), so they don’t overcook. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
If you like, serve with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and/or whole grain crackers or crusty bread.

Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1-5. Let the soup cool completely. Suggestion: divide soup into some shallow pans to put in the refrigerator to cool it more quickly. Divide soup into gallon-sized freezer bags or containers, squeeze out excess air, seal, and freeze.

Prepare From Frozen: Thaw using one of these safe thawing methods. Then reheat gently over low heat on the stove or in a crock pot. Another option is to put the frozen soup block over low to medium-low heat on the stove top or in a crock pot. Add about 1-2 cups of water or broth over the top. Gently warm over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Follow step 6 for serving.

My hope is that you can make this recipe for yourself and/or take it to anyone else who is battling cancer or an illness. This Cancer-Fighting Soup fights inflammation in the body and provides warmth and comfort when healing.