Yoga is a relaxing and enlightening experience for people who want to achieve better health, improved relaxation, and reduced stress levels. With the right yoga practice, you can stretch your way to an improved quality of life. However, it’s still a good idea to invest in the right diet to go alongside your yoga routine.
When you’re ready to warm up after a winter yoga session, one of the best foods you can prepare is a light, energizing bowl of delicious soup! Not only is it easy to eat after a workout, but it’s also packed full of incredible nutrients that will leave you feeling fabulous inside and out. If you’re ready to combine your yoga sessions with some incredible soups, here are some of the best recipes to get you started (soup maker is optional).
1. Vegan Cauliflower Soup
Luxurious and creamy, this delicious cauliflower soup is naturally smooth that you won’t need any added dairy. With red onion, garlic, and cauliflower, you’ll have the ultimate detoxification recipe. Just as yoga helps you feed your soul, this soup will help you to get rid of any lingering lethargy or gastrointestinal issues. You’ll need:
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 red onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 32 ounces of vegetable broth
- 1 cup of kale leaves
- 1 quarter teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1 zested and juiced lemon
The extra spritz of lemon in this cauliflower soup is great for opening up the pores. You can also swap the lemon for half an orange to achieve slightly different, but still zesty results from this Ayurvedic recipe.
2. Enlightening Carrot and Ginger Soup
Carrot and ginger soup is the perfect balancing meal for your Vata-based yoga practices. Vata is considered to be one of the leading principles in Ayurvedic medicine, as it helps to govern the motion and flow of the body. Getting your Vata balanced helps to eliminate stress, worry, and problems with digestion. To make your carrot and ginger soup, you’ll need:
- 1/3 cup of wild rise
- 1 and a half cups of water
- 1/3 cup of butter or ghee
- 2 Tbsp of minced ginger
- 6 cups of sliced carrots
- 1 and a half cups of sliced celery
- Half a spoon of salt
- 4 cups of vegetable stock
- ½ cup of orange juice
- Vegetable stock
- 1-2tsp of sugar
- Salt
- White pepper
The wild rice in this creamy soup adds a Kapha-balancing effect to the meal for a heartier experience and helps give extra texture too.
3. Celery, Curry and Apple Soup
Are you looking for something mild and light after your yoga session? A celery and apple soup with just a hint of spice is great to get you nicely balanced out. This soup recipe is designed for the “Kapha” balancing strategies of Ayurvedic practice. Kapha is the dosha that governs the structure of the body, forming the muscles, bones, fat, and sinew of your entire frame. To make this warming and relaxing soup, you’ll need:
- 600g of celery
- 2 sour apples
- 1 tbsp of ghee
- 2cm of grated ginger
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp of turmeric
- 1tsp of coriander
- Half a teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 tsp of ajwain
- 1 tsp of cane sugar
- 2 tbsp of crème fraiche or sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1l of vegetable broth
You can also find a yeast-free version of this Ayurveda soup. Have it cold or take it with you in a thermos to your next yoga session.
4. Pasta e Fagioli Soup
If you’re feeling extra hungry after your latest yoga practice and you need something with a bit more substance to it, this traditional Italian dish could be just the thing. Brimming with filling vegetables to give you back the energy you need after you’ve stretched the day away – this soup is sure to satisfy your craving for protein and calories. To make it, you’ll need:
- 1 and a half cups of whole wheat pasta
- 3 stalks of celery
- 1 medium onion
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 1 medium carrot
- 4 cups of vegetable stock
- 3 bay leaves
- 30 ounces of cannellini beans
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- 1 quarter teaspoon of pepper
- 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme
If you want to give yourself some extra luxury when you have this whole wheat pasta soup, why not try it with some grated parmigiana Reggiano on top?
5. Warming Vegetable Soup
Finally, what could be better than a delightful vegetable soup to give your body an extra dose of vitamins and minerals after a yoga session? This fantastic recipe is packed full of incredible flavours, so it’s sure to become a family favourite. To make this soup, you’ll need:
- 1 cup of zucchini
- Half a yellow onion
- 1 tsp of mineral salt
- 2 whole potatoes
- 1 half a lime
- 1 inch of ginger
- ¼ cup of ghee
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 quarter cup of cilantro
- 4 whole carrots (diced)
- 1 quarter teaspoon of black pepper
This vegetable soup only takes about an hour to prepare and cook overall. Although, it’s a good idea to have some prepared before you go to your class, so it’s ready to eat when you get back.
There you have it, which soup are you excited to try next? Do you have your own nutritious recipe? Let us know in the comments section.