Simple soups for light dinners

Earlier this month, my daughter told me that her boyfriend was not sleeping well and frequently woke up in the middle of the night. She asked me if I knew why and what to do. I commonly get this question in my wellness coaching sessions, and although the root cause of this problem can have different reasons, waking up at night can result from heavy, late dinners. A few days ago, her boyfriend told me he had slightly adjusted his schedule and size of meal and was sleeping much better. Small change, significant impact.

I recommend my clients to focus on early, light dinners that are simple to prepare and easy to digest. Here are some simple recipes:

Creamy Zucchini

Ingredients

500g (1 pound) of diced zucchini

four cloves of garlic, diced (can be replaced with rosemary, thyme, etc., depending on your preference)

1l (1 quart) of vegetable broth (or water)

two tablespoons of rolled oats

two tablespoons of olive oil (or ghee)

Preparation

Sauté the zucchini and garlic in the olive oil (or ghee), add the vegetable broth (or water) and the oats, and let it cook in medium heat for 10 minutes. Mix and serve. You can add a touch of french-style cultured cream or garnish with some sprouts or the fresh herbs of your choice.

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Velvety Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

500g (1 pound) of diced butternut squash

1l (1 quart) of vegetable broth (or water)

1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin

a pinch of cayenne pepper

two tablespoons of ghee (or olive oil)

Preparation

Sauté the butternut squash with the ground cumin in ghee, add the vegetable broth (or water) and a pinch of cayenne pepper, and let it cook in medium heat for 10 minutes. Mix to obtain a creamy texture and serve. Garnish with a touch of pumpkin seeds, parmesan cheese, feta cheese, or fresh cilantro leaves.

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Cream of Asparagus

Ingredients

500g (1 pound) of asparagus, diced

two cloves of garlic, diced

1/2 l of vegetable broth (or water)

two tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation

Sauté the asparagus and garlic in the olive oil, add the vegetable broth (or water) and let it cook in medium heat for 5 minutes. Mix and serve. You can garnish with a handful of pop-corn (vegan) or thin chunks of parmesan cheese (vegetarian).

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About the author: Carol Jamault is a Certified Health and Life Coach (CHC), Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), and Yoga Instructor (RYT-200) with extensive training in Ayurveda and Herbalism. She focuses on supporting her clients with stress management tools and self-care routines through an integrative approach to wellness. She guides those in a quest for personal growth and better health, by providing curated information and teaching a therapeutic lifestyle that naturally allows to restore balance, improving wellness and fostering longevity. Carol has been studying alternative healing, ethnobotany, circadian medicine, Ayurveda and herbalism since 2001. She is the founder of Hridayam Bodywork & Apothecary and partners with corporations and wellness studios to provide therapeutic bodywork, private coaching, workshops, and lectures.