Description

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

Making a delicious meal that’s packed with nutrients and flavour doesn’t have to be hard. And this yummy Cajun-flavoured okra and tomato soup proves it. Perfect for warming up on a cold winter day, this hearty soup is packed with 3 health-boosting superfood ingredients:

Okra

Okra refers to the edible seed pods of a green flowering plant from the same family as hibiscus and cotton. It’s considered to be an incredibly healthy food because it’s packed with potassium, calcium, folic acid, vitamin B, and vitamin C.

Here are just some of the health benefits of eating okra:

• Because it’s high in calcium and magnesium, okra helps you steer clear of calcium and magnesium deficiencies.
• Packed with vitamin A and beta-carotene, okra may also prevent eye disease and improve heart health.
• Okra may reduce the risk of disease in the liver, which is one of the most important organs.
• The fibre and pectin in okra naturally reduce high cholesterol, which lowers the risk of heart disease.
• Researchers have found some evidence that the lectin in okra can trigger cell suicide in breast cancer cells. In particular, they found that lectin reduced the growth of breast cancer by 63%.
• Okra may also help to detoxify the body by collecting and removing toxins.
• Research on the role of okra in diabetes management is still limited. However, one research team found that okra water stabilized blood sugar in pregnant rats with gestational diabetes.

Bone broth

Bone broth is prepared by boiling the bones and connective tissues of animals in water along with herbs and spices. Some bone broths also contain small quantities of vegetables.

Bone broth is loaded with anti-inflammatory amino acids, minerals, and rich. It also contains healing compounds that are found only in connective tissues and bones. That’s why it has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to enhance the kidneys, digestive system, and blood.

Here’s how bone broth can improve your health:

• Bone broth can boost your energy and improve the quality of your sleep.
• It also enhances the look of your skin and fights aging because it contains type II collagen. Aside from improving your skin, type II collagen maintains bone density, relieves joint pain, soothes digestive inflammation, strengthens the gut lining, repairs torn cartilage, and boosts immunity.

Bones and connective tissues usually don’t make good snacks on their own. But you can easily reap their benefits by using them to make a tasty bone broth.

Coconut oil

If you’re a fan of natural beauty, you may know that coconut oil is wonderful for your skin and hair. But coconut oil does a whole lot more than just make you look gorgeous. It also has a whole range of health benefits when you eat it regularly.

Health benefits of eating coconut oil:

• Provides an immediate energy boost
• Enhances sleep
• Increases metabolism
• Boosts immunity
• May reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
• Accelerates weight loss
• Supports thyroid function
• Increases hormone production
• Boosts calcium and magnesium absorption
• Can enhance circulation
• May stabilize insulin levels
• Remineralizes teeth
• Reduces hemorrhoid pain
• Supports prenatal development
• May reduce depression and anxiety

Getting your daily dose of coconut oil

It’s easy to add coconut oil to your diet. You can use it in place of butter or margarine or add 1–2 tablespoons to smoothies. You can also use it as an oil for high-temperature cooking or eat it right off a spoon.

Don’t like the texture or taste of coconut oil? Have trouble eating it when you’re on the go? Get all the benefits of coconut oil with our easy-to-carry and easy-to-swallow Coconut Oil Capsules. They’re made from 100% natural, cold-pressed coconut oil for optimal potency and rapid release. Find out why our customers love them:

Get all 3 of these powerful superfoods in one meal with our yummy Cajun-flavoured okra and tomato soup:

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp grass-fed butter
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
• 2 cups bone broth
• 2 cups tomatoes, diced
• 3-4 cups fresh okra, sliced
• 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut oil and butter over medium-low heat.
2. Add and sauté the garlic, celery, white parts of the green onion, and garlic. Continue sautéing and stirring the vegetables until the celery becomes tender.
3. Mix in the bone broth, tomatoes, sliced okra, Cajun seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
4. Bring to a slow boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the okra is green but tender. Garnish with sliced green onion tops.

Tips & Tricks:

1. Pair this soup with a nutritious salad or sandwich for a filling meal.
2. The key to making a tasty soup is to build on the flavours systematically. One way to do this is to add aromatics, such as onion, garlic, and celery, properly. Specifically, when adding aromatics, sauté them enough to soften them (and release their flavour) before proceeding to the next step.
3. When cooking at high temperatures, coconut oil and butter are better choices than olive oil and avocado oil. Olive oil and avocado oil work well in salads. However, because they have low boiling points, they oxidize, cause free radical damage, and lose their nutritional value at high temperatures.