There is nothing like a nourishing and comforting soup on a cold winters day, and especially one that has the added benefit of supporting your hormones. Miso is a great source of phytoestrogens and probiotics, both of which can help to balance female hormones. With the immune boosting properties of ginger, garlic and mushrooms, this soup ticks alot of health boxes.

This recipe is adapted from The Ketogenic Kitchen and is easy to adjust to your own tastes, e.g. more ginger, or add in some chilli. This recipe makes a really big batch, enough for 8-10 portions. It freezes nicely, so have your containers ready!

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive or coconut oil

200-400g button mushrooms

2-3 carrots, peeled and diced

1 leek, finely sliced

8 cloves of garlic, finely sliced or grated

Big knob of ginger, peeled and grated

2.5 litres of water (or bone broth)

4 tbsp miso paste (clearspring or sanchi)

1 tbsp sea salad (clearspring do a nice organic pack)

Salt and pepper

Method

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the mushrooms over a high heat to get some colour on them.
• Add the carrots, leek, garlic and ginger. Saute for a few minutes.
• Add the water/bone broth and bring up to a gentle simmer. Cook gently for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.
• Turn off the heat and let it cool down to drinking temperature.
• Mix the miso to a liquid paste with a little water and add to the soup with the seaweed. Overcooking the miso removes some of it's probiotic properties. Once added, season to taste.