Purple Power Soup

Ready for something wild? How about a vibrant colored purple powered soup? This soup is a testament to the amazing effortless beauty of natural foods, particularly fruits and vegetables. Amidst the grey weather of Istanbul, the month of January seems to be the month of purple food. As I walk along the Istanbuli streets, the deep purple of eggplant dishes can be found in every window, the vibrant pigmentation of pickled purple cabbage at every restaurant and last week I scored some amazing purple carrots at the farmers market. Traditionally purple has been considered a color to represent the divine, so it’s only fitting that this purple power soup is so healthy and delicious that it will leave you feeling like a [God]dess .

Health Summary

Are you on a budget and worried about how to eat healthy without spending $12 on a green juice? Well I know a thing or two about eating healthy on a budget and one of my favorite ways to eat food high in nutrients and low in cost is to eat lots and lots of soup. I try to make at least one soup a week during the winter, changing up the flavor with different vegetables and legumes. Cabbage is great, considering it’s both incredible affordable and cleansing for the body, not to mention low in carbohydrates. This soup also contains apple, carrots and onion, all very supportive of healthy digestion.

MYTH

Origin: Mediterranean

Myth: British Isles, Greece, Egypt, Northern Europe,

Symbolic Significance: Moon, tears, anti wine, romance, future spouse

 The Man in the Moon

I particularly enjoy this story given the many childhood memories I have of gazing up into the dazzling full moon on chilly winter nights in the countryside. In Northern Europe there exists a legend of a man who, in desperation, stole a cabbage from his neighbor. As punishment this man was sent to the moon [i.e. becoming the man in the moon] to serve as a reminder to the people that even in desperation it is never acceptable to steal anything.

PurPle Power SouP

Ingredients 

Butter 

1 small eggplant

1 small head of purple cabbage

3 purple carrots [ orange are okay] 

1 broth cube or homemade broth 

1 onion

1 apple 

cinnamon 

salt

tahini

parsley or other fresh herbs 

1. In a large saucepan, put water on the stove, and heat until boiling [ or homemade chicken or vegetable bone broth if you have it]. 

2. Dice, Eggplant. Heat Butter or Coconut oil in a frying pan on Medium High heat  and add eggplant, cinnamon and salt. Stir frequently.  

3. While the Eggplant is cooking, Dice and onion and carrots. Add this to the Eggplant mixture, continuing to stir frequently until soft. 

4. Shred the cabbage [ use a knife or a food processor] and dice up an apple 

4. Add Cabbage, broth cube, apple and eggplant dish to the boiling water. 

5. Let cook for about 15 minutes

6. Blend with an immersion blender 

7. Serve with drizzled tahini and a sprig of parsley 

Citations = Text: Nectar and Ambrosia by Tamra Andrews 

Photography and recipes:Kate