blended green soup of broccoli, kale, and white sweet potato on a bone broth and ginger base, finished with lemon

Some days the elimination phase does not need a recipe with much to it. It needs something you can drink slowly and still call a real meal. This is the one to reach for when even a short stretch at the stove feels like too much: broccoli, kale, and sweet potato, blended down smooth over a bone broth base with ginger and lemon so it doesn't taste like baby food.

Kale is a source of folate, which contributes to normal cell function and repair, and the ginger settles a tired gut the way it always has, plainly and without needing to be dressed up as more than that.

Let the color be the beauty here, that deep green against a squeeze of bright lemon, and ladle it into whatever bowl feels good to hold. A soup that asks almost nothing of a tired body is still worth a minute of attention before the first sip.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp solid cooking fat (coconut oil works well here)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 cups bone broth
• 1 medium white sweet potato, cubed (about 3 cups)
• 2 small or 1 large head of broccoli, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1 lemon, half zested with the juice reserved
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 bunch cilantro
• avocado, for garnish

This recipe is Core AIP and elimination-compliant as written. There are no nightshades, grains, dairy, nuts, seeds, or seed-spices in it, so no swaps were needed. The coconut oil is permitted, and the white sweet potato is an allowed root.

Method

Warm the cooking fat in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook gently, stirring, until the onion softens and everything smells fragrant.

Pour in the bone broth and add the cubed sweet potato. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the sweet potato is starting to soften, then add the broccoli and continue simmering until both are fully tender.

Stir in the chopped kale, the sea salt, the lemon zest, and the cilantro and let the greens wilt down for a minute or two. Take the pot off the heat.

Blend the soup until smooth, either with an immersion blender right in the pot or in batches in a countertop blender, venting the lid so the hot steam can escape. Stir in the reserved lemon juice, taste, and adjust the salt and lemon. Serve warm, topped with a few slices of avocado.

Instant Pot variation

Set the Instant Pot to Saute and soften the onion, garlic, and ginger in the cooking fat. Add the bone broth, sweet potato, and broccoli, seal, and pressure-cook on high until the vegetables are tender, then release the pressure. Switch off the heat, stir in the kale, salt, lemon zest, and cilantro to wilt the greens, then blend smooth and finish with the lemon juice. The exact pressure time is untested for this dish and should be confirmed in your kitchen.

*Adapted from autoimmunewellness.com*