When the cool weather comes, who doesn’t crave yummy comfort foods? It’s Nature guiding us to feed our bodies the food we need for optimal health.  I often crave hot French Onion Soup when the cool weather arrives. For my own healthy diet needs, I’ve adapted the old-fashioned traditional recipe to a delicious perfect Keto-friendly soup that promotes healthy eating and heart-warming comfort too. Not only is it yummy in the tummy, it’s full of health benefits that come from the nutrient-packed ingredients: ghee butter, yellow onions, beef bone broth, and garlic, thyme, gruyere cheese and more.

French Onion Soup is a classic comfort food I’ve enjoyed for years, but it’s amazing how many health benefits each of its ingredients provides too. This Keto Style French Onion Soup is food that is medicine! Check it out.

Comfort Food Ingredients with Many Health Benefits

Ghee Butter

I recommend using Ghee rather than regular butter. A 2018 Study published in the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, shows lower fat and cholesterol levels in people consuming ghee rather than regular butter. It’s easier on the stomach for people who are also lactose intolerant. Ghee butter can be a little pricey compared to regular butter but is easy to make at home which can save money on your grocery bill.

Yellow Onions

Yellow onions bring a bold but sweet taste perfect for this Keto French Onion Soup recipe. Onions are nutrient dense, loaded with anti-oxidants and contain approximately 8-20 percent of recommended daily Vitamin C per serving, so they help strengthen the  immune system and fight off flu and colds. They benefit heart health, help control blood sugar levels, and are good for digestive health as well.

Garlic Cloves

I add garlic to my Keto French Onion Soup because it complements the onion flavor and provides additional immune-building power, especially important during cold and flu season. Garlic helps prevent and speed recovery from colds. Plus, garlic is also good for heart health, blood pressure and cholesterol.

Fresh Thyme

This herb blends well with the other components of this French Onion Soup recipe. Thyme provides more than just a pleasant taste, however. Fresh thyme also has Vitamin C, Vitamin A and mood-enhancing ingredients. It helps prevent colds, regulates blood pressure and lift our spirits too!

Beef Bone Broth

I love the way the natural beef bone broth blends with this soup. It forms the base and provides a wide array of rich nutrients and minerals such as protein, essential fatty acids, iron, selenium, manganese, zinc and more. Bone broth is packed with nutrients that boost immune system function, increase energy and support gut health.

Xanthan Gum

I use it to thicken the French Onion Soup broth. However, it also can slow down the distribution of blood sugar into your system. It helps prevent a spike in blood sugar.

Gruyere Cheese

I prefer aged Gruyere cheese in my Keto French Onion Soup, over parmesan, mozzarella or other white cheeses. It offers a taste strong enough without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. It has more than 20 percent RDA of calcium and more than 10 percent RDA of protein.  Gruyere is a hard cheese that has more butyrate than most aged varieties. Research suggests that butyrate can help steady blood sugar levels and help lower long-term risk for type 2 diabetes.

Kosher Salt

Usually, Kosher salt draws out moisture from meat. In this case, a moderate amount enhances the natural flavors of the ingredients in the soup.

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

You may not have realized this, but fresh ground black pepper has antioxidant properties and can help boost your immune system. Its taste also pairs well with the other ingredients, bringing out their flavors.

 Enjoy Comfort Food That’s Delicious and Medicinal 

When cool weather comfort food cravings come, put this Keto Style French Onion Soup on your first list to make. We crave comfort foods like French Onion Soup for good reasons. It’s full of all the natural ingredients our bodies need to boost our immune system and more during cold weather months. You can’t go wrong with this Keto Style French Onion Soup. It’s totally comforting, delicious and medicinal at the same time.

Grace Notes

French Onion Soup is always served in an oven friendly porcelain crock for heating it under the broiler. I love to put my hands around the warm crock before taking my first bite of the cheese. It’s my way of saying “thank you” soup for comforting me, warming me, delighting me and helping me fight off winter colds.  Love food that loves you back. I hope you love this one!

Enjoy and Live Well with Zest

Bev xo

Written by Bev Hope

Keto Style French Onion Soup

• Author: Bev Hope

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ghee butter
• 4 medium yellow onions sliced 1/4-inch-thick
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 cups of beef bone broth
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum for thickening
• 1 cup / 8 oz grated gruyere cheese
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Gluten free almond bread

Instructions

1. Melt butter in large stock pot over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions arecaramelized (about 15 minutes). Reduce heat to medium low. Add the bone beef broth and 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum. Bring the soup back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Toast almond bread well, sprinkle with grated gruyere cheese and broil.
3. Ladle soup into bowls. Add almond toast and sprinkle each bowl with grated cheese. Broil until golden brown and bubbly.

Notes

OPTIONS

Replace almond bread with your favorite gluten free bread for making the toast.

Try toasted croutons as an alternative to toast slices. They make it easier to take smaller spoon size bites.

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This Anti-Inflammatory Thai Pumpkin Soup recipe is always a family pleaser and potluck winner!  It is amazingly flavorful with the perfect combination of spiciness and creamy smooth texture. It’s packed with nutrient dense vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants that help keep you and your loved ones healthy on the inside and outside.

I received a Vitamix for my birthday a few years ago.  My birthday is in October and it was pumpkin season, so the first thing I experimented with was making pumpkin soup. With pumpkins in season, I prepared Thai Pumpkin Soup from the Vitamix Cookbook with fresh, organic authentic ingredients from a local farm. It was such a hit that it became a seasonal tradition I’ve been making for my family and friends ever since. Not only have I used the freshest organic ingredients, I’ve also adapted it to make it even more an anti-inflammatory powerhouse soup! It’s pure deliciousness from pure superfoods.

Fresh Organic Pumpkin 

First, I make it with fresh organic pumpkins to maximize the taste and health benefits. Pumpkins are a rich source of Vitamin A and C which help fight free radicals and boost your immune system. Pumpkins get their bright orange color from the high amount of Beta carotene which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Carotenoids assist in staving off free radicals in the body and help in preventing premature aging, cardiovascular disease and infections.

Spices Ginger, Turmeric, and Garlic

Then I add extra zest and health benefits with spices that have well-known medicinal properties. Spices like ginger and turmeric both help ease inflammation. Turmeric is known to be a powerful anti-inflammatory when taken as a supplement, and when ingested in food, it really spices up the flavor. Garlic contains anti-oxidants that protect against cell damage, helps prevent infection and helps support a healthy immune system.

Chicken Bone Broth and Coconut Milk 

For the base, I use chicken bone broth, which also helps ease inflammation in the gut and soothe the gut lining. Coconut milk and cream makes this soup creamy and smooth and brings health benefits too. Coconut milk which is high in Vitamins C and E, and rich in antioxidants also aids in the reduction of inflammation. It is rich in electrolytes such as potassium and magnesium and helps support a healthy immune system.

Zesty and Healthy Crowd Pleaser 

It’s the perfect soup for living well with zest! Combining nutrient dense fresh pumpkin, nourishing chicken bone broth, plus anti-inflammatory coconut milk, ginger and turmeric, this soup is the perfect way to delight your family and friends and help them stay healthy inside and out. It’s not only zesty, it’s healthy

I always love sharing, enjoying good food together and seeing my crockpot empty sooner than later.  Even more rewarding is sharing delicious food that helps people live well with zest! I hope you try it and share it with your family and friends. Let me know what you think?

Grace Notes

I am inspired by Linus in It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, one of my favorite childhood holiday movies, adapted from Waiting for the Great Pumpkin by Charles M. Schulz. I have never stop believing in the power of the Great Pumpkin. But now we have the data to know the power of the Great Pumpkin!

Enjoy and live Well with Zest!

Bev xo

Written by Bev Hope

Thai Roasted Pumpkin Soup

• Author: Bev Hope
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings
• Category: Soup
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tablespoon organic tomato paste
• 2 1/2 cups of roasted, mashed organic pumpkin
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root
• 1 Tablespoons chopped fresh turmeric root
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 3 cups of organic chicken bone broth
• 3/4 cup organic coconut cream
• 3/4 cup organic coconut milk
• 1 Tablespoon chopped green chilies
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• Fresh ground sea salt and black pepper corns

Instructions

1. Slice 2 small pumpkins in quarters, scoop out seeds. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle ground sea salt and black pepper. Back at 425 for 50 – 60 minutes until tender. Scoop out pulp.
2. Sauté onion in olive oil until soft and tender. Add tomato paste, pumpkin, ginger, turmeric garlic, broth, coconut cream, and coconut milk. Combine until heated through.
3. Place mixture into Vitamix or food processor. Add chilies and lemon juice and secure lid.
4. Select variable 1.
5. Switch Vitamix to Start and slowly increase speed to variable 10.
6. Blend for 45 to 60 seconds or until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.For extra flavor garnish soup with chopped toasted peanuts and fresh chopped organic cilantro.

Notes

Add-Ins

For an authentic dash of extra flavor, garnish with cilantro, chopped peanuts and sour cream.

Tips

Double the recipe for a holiday party or pot luck dinner. Save time by roasting the pumpkins the night before. Avoid substituting canned pumpkin to experience full anti-inflammatory health benefits, but canned pumpkin will work if pressed for time.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: Per 1 Cup (240ml)
• Calories: 216
• Sodium: 375 mg
• Fat: 13 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Carbohydrates: 24 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Anti-Inflammatory, Pumpkin, Soup, Thai, Vitamix, Potluck, Crockpot, Holidays

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