Autumn is harvest time, and the wonderful root vegetables and squashes available now in the markets are perfect for blending into beautiful and tasty soups. Soups are a fabulous choice in the fall. They are warming and comforting, and when you allow the autumn harvest veggies to play starring roles in your creations, they’re very nutritious, too! Soups are also highly portable in insulated thermos-type containers, so they’re perfect for school and office lunches. If you prefer not to carry an insulated container, no problem; most soups reheat beautifully.
In terms of macrobiotics, slowly simmered vegetable-based soups are considered moderately yang. This means they are gently contractive, helping you to balance the cool (yin) weather by inviting warmth and strength into your body. This effect is enhanced by warming seasonings, such as ginger, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Try our recipes for some delicious soup and stew choices, and enjoy!
Note: this piece first appeared as the November 2005 ClarkWellness.net Recipe of the Month.
Serves 2 to 3
The unusual combination of thyme and cinnamon lends an interesting and tasty twist to this colorful dish. You’ll find aduki beans (also called adzuki beans, red dragon beans, or red wonder) in natural food stores. Cooking the aduki beans with kombu, a seaweed available dried in the macrobiotic/Asian section of natural food stores, helps stave off digestive distress from the beans. Leafy greens add flavor, nutrition, and a beautiful touch of color.
3/4 cup dry aduki beans
water for soaking
1 3-inch piece of kombu seaweed
2–3 cups water
1 winter squash (butternut, acorn, delicata, etc.), peeled and cut into pieces
small handful chopped greens, such as arugula or kale, plus more for garnish (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sea salt
Sort and rinse the aduki beans, then soak them in water overnight. Drain and rinse. Add beans to a medium-sized soup pot along with the water and kombu. Bring to a boil; skim off foam if necessary. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 25–30 minutes.
Add the squash to the pot and boil another 15–20 minutes or until squash and beans are just tender. Stir in greens, if using, and season with thyme, cinnamon, and sea salt. Garnish individual servings with extra chopped greens, if desired.
See step-by-step photos of this dish!
Aduki Squash Stew
