It’s January 3rd. And we all know what that means.
I bet no matter where you are in your goal to health, you probably over-indulged even just a little bit over the holidays. It can sometimes be hard to treat our bodies with the respect they deserve when we’re so busy, and the holiday season is a prime example of that.
Not to mention, holiday parties galore with temptation everywhere you look.
Sigh.
No worries, just get back on track.
Baby Bok Choy
This is the first weekend of the New Year. I’m going to make this soup this weekend and have it for lunch both days; use it as a tool to fuel better eating habits and healthier choices. Don’t push yourself too hard too fast. We all know that the lasting habits are the ones that were made gradually, over time. This soup is an effortless way to start.
It’s completely full of nourishing, cleansing ingredients…
Bok Choy: Chlorophyll, the molecule in plants that makes them green, attaches to toxins in your blood and removes them from your body. (Read more about the health benefits of chlorophyll on Livestrong and on Insiders Health.)
Olive Oil: Some vitamins (which are naturally found in fruits and veggies) need fat to be absorbed into the body, so this healthy oil helps your body maximize the absorption of nutrients from what you’re eating. (Read more about this on NPR and Discovery Fit & Health)
Garlic: This strong antioxidant has antibacterial and antifungal properties, and can be used to prevent colds, reduce blood pressure, and reduce the risk of developing certain cancers. (More info is available on WebMD and Reader’s Digest.)
Organic Vegetable Stock or Water: Helps you stay hydrated as you flush toxins out of your system.
Turmeric: Curcumin, the component in turmeric that gives it its bright yellow color, stimulates the gallbladder to produce bile, which the liver uses to eliminate toxins from the body. (Head over to Livestrong and Natural News to read more.)
Fresh Lemon Juice: Cleanses the kidneys and digestive system, and helps purify the blood. As an alkaline-forming food in the body, it also may help to prevent serious illnesses. (Read more on Glamour Health & Diet and Budwig Center Blog.)
I’m feeling better about kick-starting a healthy New Year already. ;)
- 1 lb (450 g) baby bok choy
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cups low-sodium organic vegetable stock (or water), heated
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (start with less and add more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
- Rinse the bok choy and trim off the stem ends. Slice the white parts into ¼-inch strips and transfer them to a bowl. Chop the green parts into ½-inch pieces and transfer them to a separate bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the white parts of the bok choy and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the green parts of the bok choy and the garlic and cook 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
- Add the stock or water and turmeric; bring to a simmer and then turn off the heat.
- Add the lemon juice and sea salt to taste; serve.
Please note that I am NOT a doctor, medical practitioner, or nutritionist of any kind. Nothing in this post should be construed as medical or nutrition advice. The information about each ingredient in this soup was sourced from the pages that I linked to for each item; please head over to each page for more detailed information. If you need medical advice you should immediately seek a physician’s care.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Healthy or not…this sounds yummy to me :) I love bok choy! Great soup
I wish to you and your family a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year Faith! Beautiful soup my friend! I would love a bowl!
A delicious soup! I really love bok choy. A perfect post-holiday dish.
Cheers,
Rosa
Looks look like a great soup to keep healthy and keep warm! Love this.
Yeeeeah! Nothing like a good system clean-out via soup! I love bok choy and turmeric, and this soup is right up my alley: simple, tasty, warm and cozy! And exactly what I need, considering I went a tad bit over-board on the alcohol and treats this season ;) Happy New Year, lady!
Sounds like the perfect detox soup to start off the year with Faith. Love bok choy!
This is definitely what I need! Yum!
this is definitely a cleansing soup – for both body and soul. I love how you explained each component of this soup.
Love the sound of this, and it sounds like a great way to start a new year.
Nice soup Faith! I love bok choy and turmeric – this sounds so good. Happy New Year!!
using kale, homemade broths, garlic, and a little angel hair pasta as a meal for three hundred days of the year i brought my cholesterol numbers down / way down / this is a beautiful soup you have here / baby bok choy is on my list / thanks for posting
Love this! How simple, nutritious and perfectly easy! We’re going to feature this on our Facebook page and link here so people can see how you made it, and your lovely photography.
–Your friendly Southern California farmers at Jade Asian Greens
I know I’m bad but I pay more attention to how a dish tastes and looks than I do about cleansing. This is a winner all the way around.
Bok choi is always on the menu and this is a delightfully tasty and easy way of using it – methinks lunch tomorrow :) ! And hoping 2014 brings all you and yours need and want!!
This is exactly the kind of soup I need and am CRAVING lately. Love the simple fresh flavors.
This is the best bok choy recipe I’ve ever seen. Thank you.
Faith this does indeed look like a wonderful way to start off the new year – I love brothy, veggie filled soups!
Here in rural Midwestern America it is minus 29 degrees Fahrenheit with the wind chill factor. I made the soup earlier this afternoon. Was very easy and straight forward. My husband did wander thro’ the kitchen and ask what that “strange little vegetable” was before it was sliced (he has only seen baby bok choy as incorporated into a finished recipe.) At any rate it was very nice to have a comforting (and healthful) soup made up when I came in from errands in the brutally cold outside. Did put a few red pepper flakes in for the additional warming effect. Thank you for the timely posting.
Faith, this looks so perfect! I love flavorful and light broths like this in the winter. It’s such a nice way to feel good about what you’re eating, yet it’s so warming and comforting. I’ve pinned this…can’t wait to make it this week!
Thanks! I built on this soup (along with another recipe) and made it in the slow cooker last night. Though I am not a fan of turmeric, so I used some fresh lemongrass and ginger for nutrition, along with some Bragg’s liquid aminos and garlic-chili sauce for flavour (I omitted the salt). Great recipe – highly recommended!
I have to tell you, this is one of the best soups I’ve ever made! So pure and simple yet very flavourful. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!