Surviving Winter on Raw Food: Three Raw Soup Recipes

I really enjoy raw creamy soups heated in the Vitamix. Especially on a cold winter day. High-speed blenders like the Vitamix have such powerful motors that they can be used to heat soups and sauces. It might be my favorite thing about my Vitamix; that and making banana ice cream! But it's been pretty chilly for ice cream lately here in Saskatchewan, Canada. Some people find that their temperature runs a little cooler on a raw food diet, which is great in the summer, and slightly more difficult in the winter. People ask all the time if I miss hot food, and sometimes I do, but don't love the way I feel after eating them,  so I've found ways to enjoy slightly warmed foods when I have those cravings. I've made it through most the winter on a raw diet already this year - it's not always easy, but it's always worth it! Here is a list of things that I personally do to help beat the winter chills. 

Ways to cope with cold climates on a raw food diet: 

* Dress warmer- layers, sweaters, scarves and hats! 

* Take hot baths or showers to warm up. 

* Make a warm soup in the Vitamix. You could also lightly warm soups and raw stews on the stove on low, watching carefully, or in a dehydrator. 

* Drink room temperature water

* Eat fruits and veggies at room temperature. Take out your supper veggies in the afternoon. Leave fruit on the counter and thaw frozen fruits before adding them to smoothies. 

* Soak veggies in a sink filled with hot (not boiling) water before making supper. Broccoli and cauliflower soften nicely when soaked.

* Add some heat to your smoothies and sauces with fresh ginger and hot peppers

* Make a hot dateorade or herbal tea. 

* Eat enough calories

* Stock up on bananas and dates! Enjoy persimmons in the early winter months and take advantage of orange season when cara caras and other varieties come back! Apples are also good fruits for the winter. 

* Get an adequate amount of sleep 

* Move your body! Exercise will warm your body temperature for longer than a hot bath or eating a warm meal. 

* Find support. I'm very lucky to have plenty of support from all my fruity friends on social media, my sisters, and the Banana Commander- Chris Kendall too! 
* I also make sure to take my D-Drops! Vitamin D3 is essential and most people don't get enough during the fall and winter months. This has helped me a lot with the winter blues. 

It's supposed to get down to -40 Celsius in Saskatchewan tonight so it's warm soup, some hoola-hopping and a hot bath for me! 

My dad and I last winter -50 C

I usually make tomato or mushroom soup as my go-to warming dinners. This recipe for Coconut Curry Mushroom Soup was a lovely twist on my regular Mushroom Soup. I used coconut meat instead of the avocado, added curry powder and two handfuls of fresh cilantro. It was so good, I literally licked the bowl clean. 

COCONUT CURRY MUSHROOM SOUP

Ingredients:

2 cups cremini mushrooms 

1 small zucchini (peeled & chopped)

The meat from 1 thai coconut 

1/3 cup coconut water

1 tsp curry powder 

2 cloves garlic 

2-3 green onions 

1 large celery stalk, chopped 

3-4 leaves fresh Thai basil

2 handfuls fresh cilantro 

Directions: 

* Crack open your coconut. Pour the water into a large cup or bowl. Scoop the meat out with a spoon and put in blender with 1/3 cup coconut water. Save the rest in the fridge.

* Take 4 mushrooms and slice them thin. Put them in your soup bowl and place the rest of the mushrooms in your high-speed blender with the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro and basil. 

* Blend on high until the soup is warm. 

* Add the cilantro and basil and pulse blend a few times. 

* Pour warm soup in the bowl with sliced mushrooms, give a quick stir and enjoy! 

A new favorite this year has been Green Pea Soup! All the veggies that were used in this soup are green- giving you a super chlorophyll boost of oxygen to your blood cells. 

GREEN PEA SOUP 

Ingredients:

2 cups organic green peas (defrost if using frozen)

2 green onion stems, chopped

2-3 stalks of celery, chopped 

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1/2 avocado

1/2 lime squeezed 

1 tsp cumin powder

A large handful of cilantro

Optional: add a garlic  

Directions: 

*Blend all the ingredients on high in your high-speed blender until hot. 

*Or blend in a regular blender and warm slightly on the stove on low. Stirring to make sure it doesn't boil. 

And the third recipe is for a Mango Tomato Red Pepper Soup. This one I make the most often as I find it satisfies my cravings for something sweet and savoury at the same time. There are so many twists you can do with tomato soup but this one has been my favorite this winter. *I buy frozen mango in the winter because it's such a gamble to buy fresh when they are not in season and don't ripen properly.

MANGO TOMATO RED PEPPER SOUP

Ingredients: 

3 mangos (or 2 cup frozen mango defrosted)

4 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 lemon squeezed

2 green onion 

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme chopped

Directions: 
*Cut mangos into cubes, removing the seed, and place in blender
*Remove the white bulbs from the onion and toss, chop the green stems and toss in blender
*Squeeze 1/2 a lemon into a cup, remove the seeds and add to blender
*Add tomatoes and red pepper
*Chop 1 tsp of fresh thyme and add to blender

*Blend all the ingredients on high in your high-speed blender until hot. 

*Or blend in a regular blender and warm slightly on the stove on low. Stirring to make sure it doesn't boil. 

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Lots of Love and Fresh Squeezed Hugs!

xo

Ashley Clark

Holistic Health Coach

Naturally Ashley Nutrition

Ashley Clark is a Health Coach, Artist, Photographer and the owner/operator of Naturally Ashley Nutrition. “I am bananas about holistic health and nutrition!" I want to help you create a happy, healthy lifestyle in way that is flexible, fun and lasting. It's not about cutting out the ‘bad’ foods; it's about adding in the good – more FRUITS and VEGETABLES! Healthy living isn’t just about the food you eat  – Primary ‘Food’ is important too, like finding a career you love, relationships, and connecting to your spirituality. Love your Life, Love your Food, Love YOU! 

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