This hearty vegetarian crock pot rice soup recipe is the perfect food-for-your-soul! Made with vegetable broth or if you are not a vegetarian add chicken for added protein!
Welcome to the flu season my friends. Not sure if that really needs a standing notation. When the weather is cooler there seems to be a lot of little bugs running around. I’m not talking about those adorable little kiddos. I am talking about the bugs that may us lay in bed all day unable to be our best selves. I happen to have two little men under the age of 6 (not at all running) in my home with a stomach bug followed by all 4 of us also having another nasty respiratory virus. Sorry for the details, but I’m sure you have been there… so not fun.
It started right after Thanksgiving. My toddler came down with a stomach flu. Well if you are a large family you know where this story is going.
Once he was better my 5 year old got the bug. Then the bug just could not resist attacking my hubby and myself because we were so drained being up with the boys all night… EVERY NIGHT. Once the stomach bug cleared a nasal virus hit the house. Literally the next day!
All I could think about was healing rice soup, chicken noodle soup or vegetable soup ASAP!
Since the stomach bug produced a lot of aches and pains we needed a soup to heal our bodies. A soup that is light and packed with nutrition since we skipped a day or two of eating. I thought about making chicken noodle soup but I wanted to use a rice base instead of noodles since it is a bit calmer on the belly.
The best soup for the flu or any common cold are usually chicken stock or broth based, but if you are vegetarian you can totally go with vegetable broth. I think both are just as equal. Just remember this rule of thumb, “Plants are healing and fruits are cleansing.” So when sick, it is best to stick with vegetables so the body can focus on healing. Once healed add lots of fruit to continue to cleans out the toxins.
This can also be made into wild rice soup. Just replace brown rice with wild rice. What is the difference between brown rice and wild rice? Brown rice is not milled and all that remains is removed is the husk. Wild rice contains more nutrients such as protein, zinc, and potassium. Wild rice is also significantly higher in folate and B vitamins. So I favor wild rice for this rice soup on any other occasion than when we are sick. Because brown rice is milder.
This vegetarian soup is just like your basic chicken noodle soup only without meat and noodles. Rice soup has rice, ginger, garlic and turmeric for extra anti inflammatory properties and to combat viruses.
We love to make a big batch of this healing soup and freeze some for the next time a cold hits the household. How to freeze soup? Pour any extra soup in a freezable baggie and lie it flat in the freezer. The next time a cold or flu hits it thaws quickly and is easy to serve.
- 6 cups of vegetable broth
- 1 cup brown rice or wild rice
- 3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into slices
- ½ white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
- 2 bay leaves, dry
- ¼ teaspoon thyme, dry
- ½ teaspoon oregano, dry
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt (add more later if needed)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- Turn the slow cooker on low. Add 6 cups of broth, sweet potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, turmeric, ginger, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-6 hours. Add the rice 1 hour before you are ready to serve.
- *You may need to add additional broth depending how long you cook the soup.
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