Warm Your Belly With This Delicious Ketogenic Recipe: Asparagus Soup With Crispy Bacon

More Information

Recipe by Pete Evans

With summer being officially
over, it’s time for you to start getting ready for colder days. And what better
way to ease the chill than by sipping soup to warm your belly? A perfect
example is this asparagus soup recipe from world-renowned chef Pete Evans. Not
only will this keep you warm, but it will also provide impressive health
benefits because of its nutritious ingredients.

If you’re on the lookout for more
recipes like this one, the “Fat for Fuel Ketogenic Cookbook” is just what you
need. Pete and I recently worked together to develop this cookbook to help
people transition to a ketogenic
diet easily. It won’t be out until November 14, but I assure you that it’s
worth the wait!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons coconut
oil

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves,
chopped

1 pound asparagus, woody ends
trimmed

1/2 pound cauliflower, chopped
into florets

3 cups chicken
broth

2 tablespoons
chopped flat-leaf parsley

Sea salt and
freshly ground black pepper

3 slices of
rindless bacon

Procedure

1. Melt
the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring
occasionally, for five minutes, or until translucent.

2. Stir
in the garlic and cook for one minute, or until softened.

3. Add
the asparagus and cauliflower and stir for one minute, then pour in the chicken
broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for two minutes.
Remove four asparagus spears and reserve.

4. Continue
to cook the soup for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.

5. Add
the parsley and blend with a hand-held blender until smooth. Season with salt
and pepper.

6. Preheat
the oven to 400 F.

7. Place
the bacon on a baking tray and roast for five minutes, flip the bacon over and
roast for another five minutes or until golden and crisp. Cut into bite-sized
pieces and set aside, keeping warm.

8. Ladle
the soup into warm bowls and add some crispy bacon. Cut the reserved asparagus
spears in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2 inch lengths and add a few pieces
to each bowl to finish.

Asparagus Can Help Regulate Blood Sugar

Asparagus shoots contain numerous
vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A, E, K and B6. With this surplus of
vitamins, this vegetable will surely boost your eye, blood and immune health. Other
benefits you can reap from this vegetable are:[1]

·
Aids in
weight loss. Asparagus is high in soluble and insoluble fibers and low in
calories, making it a good choice for people who are trying to lose weight.

·
Helps
prevent urinary tract infections. Asparagus is a natural diuretic because
of the high levels of asparagine. It helps in flushing out excess salt and
fluids, which then helps minimize your risk of getting urinary tract
infections.

·
Acts as
an aphrodisiac. The high amounts of vitamin
E in asparagus boost the production of estrogen in women and testosterone in men.

·
Functions
as a mood-booster. Low levels of vitamin B12 and folate have been linked to
the prevalence of depression. Asparagus’ high B12 and folate content means that
adding this to your diet can help regulate and improve your mood.

But its benefits do not end
there, because asparagus has also been linked to diabetes prevention and upkeep.
Adding asparagus to your diet will support the beta cells in the pancreas,
improve insulin regulation and optimize blood sugar levels.[2]

Asparagus is also rich in fiber.[3]
This is especially useful for diabetes patients as it helps slow down gastric
emptying and glucose absorption into the bloodstream. Fiber is also responsible
for slowing down digestion, dampening the sharp spikes in blood glucose levels
after meals.[4]

While asparagus shoots are best
harvested in the spring, they’re actually available all year ‘round.[5]
This means that you can benefit from their numerous healthful components
whenever you spot a bundle at the grocery store.

Cauliflower May Help Fight Cancer

Even though it is often regarded
as the white version of broccoli, cauliflower does not pale in comparison to
its more popular cousin. Cauliflower is filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are
essential for improving body processes. Adding cauliflower into the mix ensures
that you’re taking care of your heart, brain and your immune system. Other cauliflower
benefits include:[6]

·
Improves
cardiovascular health. Cauliflower is a good source of vitamin K, which
helps in the promotion of healthy blood circulation. It also contains
glucoraphanin, a glucosinolate that prevents the accumulation of lipids in your
blood vessels.

·
Promotes
toxin elimination. The high fiber content of cauliflower helps in digestion
and the elimination of harmful materials from the digestive system.

·
Reduces
risk for macular degeneration. It also contains high amounts of vitamin C
and antioxidants, which are necessary for maintaining eye health.

·
Decreases
the risk of neural defects in unborn children. The folate content of cauliflower
helps in the successful neural development in unborn babies.

But aside from these, one of the most impressive components of cauliflower
is sulforaphane, a sulfur compound that has been deemed as a cancer fighter.
The high amounts of sulforaphane in cauliflower indicate that it can help fight
against the development of cancer stem cells and even slow tumor development.

Together with other cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower has been observed to
inhibit the development of bladder, breast, colon and stomach cancers.[7] Additional components that contribute to
its cancer-fighting characteristics are indoles and isothiocyanates.[DRFS1]

Cauliflower can be incorporated
into dishes easily. It can be roasted, sautéed with other vegetables, or even
served as an alternative for potatoes for mash. If you’re unsure of how you
want to eat cauliflower, this recipe is just what you need.

It All Boils Down to the Quality of Your Meat

If you’re a regular reader of Mercola.com,
you’re probably aware of the dangers of processed meats. The International
Agency for Research on Cancer has even classified processed meats as a group 1
carcinogen. Unfortunately for all bacon lovers out there, bacon is part of this
group.[8]

The good news is that your love
for bacon doesn’t need to end here. It all depends on the source of the meat
that you’re eating. If you’re not ready to give bacon up just yet, there’s the
option of making your own with meat from trustworthy and organic sources.

You should steer clear of concentrated animal feeding operations
(CAFOs) products, not just
because of the inhumane conditions animals in these facilities are subjected
to, but also because of the risk of ingesting harmful chemicals and antibiotics
used in these farms. You should also make sure that your source provides their animals
with species-appropriate food instead of the generic feeds that only aim to
fatten them.[DRFS2]

About Pete Evans

Pete Evans is an internationally renowned
chef who has joined forces with Dr. Mercola to create a healthy cookbook that’s
loaded with delicious, unique Keto recipes, ideal for people who want to switch
to a ketogenic diet. The “Fat for Fuel Ketogenic Cookbook” will be released November
14.

Pete
has had numerous noteworthy contributions to the culinary world. He has not
only cooked for the general public, but he’s also cooked a royal banquet
for the Prince and Princess of Denmark, a private dinner for Martha Stewart,
and even represented his hometown at the gala GʼDay USA dinner for 600 in
New York City. Pete’s career has moved from the kitchen into the lounge room
with many TV appearances including Lifestyle Channel’s “Home show,” “Postcards
from Home,” “FISH,” “My Kitchen Rules” and “Moveable Feast.”

Source:: Mercola Health Articles