Hippocrates Soup

Hippocrates Soup

A few years ago I was introduced to a documentary about the Gerson Institute and the work of Dr. Gerson and his daughter to cure cancer and other diseases with a diet of fresh juice and raw and cooked plant foods. 

From the Gerson web site:

A patient on the Gerson Therapy receives the nutritional equivalent of fifteen pounds of fresh, raw produce in his daily consumption of 104 ounces of juice. The cooked food is intended for ease of digestion, to provide bulk and carbohydrates, to supplement mineral intake, and to serve as a buffer for the juices.

https://gerson.org/gerpress/

 It has intrigued me greatly and I have thought long and hard about how food is our most important "medicine" and tried to implement that concept into our daily eating lives here at home. We try to juice everyday, drink a green smoothie, eat a big salad, and lots and lots of cruciferous and green vegetables. We also eat nuts, seeds, beans, fruit, and grains daily.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”

― Hippocrates

I know that the Gerson Institute serves a soup called 

"Hippocrates" soup. I believe it is served both at lunch and 

dinner. I have never studied at the Gerson Institute, although 

it is something I would very much like to do.  I felt very lucky 

when I ran across a recipe on Juicing For Health  http://juicing-for-

health.com for "Hippocrates Soup".  I am not sure this is exactly 

what the Gerson Institute serves but after making this 

amazing delicious soup I am a convert!


This soup is made with no oil and filled with vegetables.  It is

smooth, sublime, and has the "rich" taste of a cream of

 potato/tomato/and more soup. When my husband first tasted 

it he said, "This tastes like green looks." By the way, that was

 a huge compliment... like a beautiful field of green.


On busy morning I have been drinking a mug of Hippocrates

 soup on my way to work.  It's a great filling start to a busy

 day.  We have had big bowls with toasted Ezekiel bread for

 dinner, bowls and green salads for lunch... we are just eating

 bowls of this stuff.  Try it.  I don't think it will disappoint.

Hippocrates Soup

Use a large pot, dutch oven, or slow cooker

1 Celery Root (if you can't find the root, you can use celery stalks, instead)

Handful Parsley

2 Onions

1 large or 2 small leeks

2 - 4 Cloves Garlic

1 pound Potatoes

1 1/2 pounds Tomatoes

Pinch of sea salt

Wash the vegetables, scrubbing the skin of celery root and 

potatoes.

Chop the celery root, onions, leeks,garlic, parsley and stems, potatoes, and tomatoes.

Put everything into a slow cooker or a dutch oven.  Add water 

just to cover the vegetables.

If using a slow cooker turn on low and cook until the 

vegetables are very tender. I let it sit all night.

If using a dutch oven, bring to a light boil and then simmer on

 very low for about 2 hours.

Once cooked, puree the vegetables in a blender.  Remember

 to wait until the vegetables have cooled a bit before using

 the blender.

No way, tomatoes at the Farmer's Market in January!?  Yes! Using fresh tomatoes in this recipe is a bonus.  However, there are gallon bags of frozen tomatoes from my garden ready for when winter truly hits California.

What is this?  This is a celery root.  I cut off some of the bottom, cut the top off for juicing, and then washed and scrubbed the skin of the root.  I chopped it up for the soup, skin and all.

Here is the celery root, leek, onion, parsley, and garlic layered into my dutch oven.

And now the tomatoes and potato on top.  Just add water to cover, a pinch of salt, and cook on low heat for 2 - 3 hours.  Then puree once the soup is no longer boiling hot.  Unbelievably delicious!  Yum.

Bonus photos below!

My favorite very close to home walk with the dogs or Saturday morning run is "Top Of The World".  When I get there I look out over Delaveaga, the bay, and over to Monterey on a clear day.  I feel lucky every single time.

Here is the fabric I am using for the new quilt which will reside in my bedroom!  All 25 squares are now made.  The fun part is deciding how I will put those squares together to make a beautiful quilt top.  I'll post when it is finished.  

Be well!