Not Just a Man's World

This is an incredibly easy soup to make.  Last time I made it I used a mix of chicken and beef stock since I had some spare chicken stock in the fridge.  This soup is probably more of a warming lunch than a posh dinner starter, but try it and see what you think.

Mushrooms can be pretty cheap when bought in bulk but pack a punch in nutrition providing surprisingly high quantities of some key antioxidents, vitamins and minerals.  Some of the key nutrients provided by mushrooms include:

• Vitamin D – mushrooms are one of the only food-sources of vitamin D, providing 15iu in 4-5 mushrooms.
• Potassium – up to 300mg in a serving (though what a “serving” is I’m not sure), this is a mineral which many are deficient in but which aids in fluid and mineral balance which is of utmost importance in sports performance.  Potassium also helps ensure that nerves, muscles and the heart are functioning well, which is another important feature for those who are active.
• Copper – helps make red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body.
• Niacin (vitamin B3) – promotes healthy skin and also helps the nervous and digestive systems function properly.
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2) – also helps maintain healthy red blood cells.
• Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) – helps with the production of hormones and plays an important role in the nervous system.
• Selenium – mushrooms are the leading vegetable source for selenium, an antioxidant that protects the body from heart disease, aging, various cancers and is also believed to be important for the immune system and fertility in men.
• Ergothioneine – another antioxidant that may help protect the body’s cells.

Mushroom soup

Ingredients: (serves 6)
750g mushrooms, chopped finely
1 onion, chopped finely
4½ – 5 pts stock (chicken or beef or a mix of both)
½ tbsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions:

1. Heat a little oil in a pan that has a lid, add the onion and mushrooms and fry these over a gentle heat, turning them until they are well-coated in the oil and starting to soften.
2. Reduce the heat, put the lid on the pan, and leave the mushrooms and onion to wilt down in the pan for about 20 mins, stirring around every so often.
3. Once the mushrooms are broken down and simmering in their own juices add a splash of the stock to lift any goodness that is glued onto the bottom of the pan and then pour in the rest of the stock and add the parsley.
4. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to bring it to a simmer.  Put a lid on the pan.and leave it simmering for another 10 mins or so.
5. Take the pan off the heat and thoroughly blend the soup.  I do this with a hand blender in the pan, but another option is to pour it off into a larger blender.
6. Taste the soup at this point and, if it tastes a little bland, add some salt (I use about 10 twists of the salt grinder) and pepper.
7. Return the soup to the heat and warm it through just before you want to serve it.

I hope you like it!

Related posts:

1. Paleo recipes: chicken soup
2. Paleo recipes: French onion soup
3. Paleo recipes: spicy beef bolognese
4. Paleo recipes: chicken stir-fry