Healthy all natural detox soup

Dandelion

I have always been intrigued by natural foods, and living off the land.  But I didn’t know just how much you can literally live off that land!  Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim has opened up my eyes as to what you can eat, and what is better left to the cows!

When Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim was just a little girl, she was abandoned by her parents during the Korean War, because she was considered “just an extra mouth to feed.”  During that time, she learned to fend for herself, and quickly learned how to pick “weeds” and make food from it.  At the time, it was just for survival, but now Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim teaches that these “weeds” are very healthy and cleansing and work as a wonderful body detox, especially after the winter months.

The following “recipe” is just a guideline, a lot will depend on what you can find, and your taste buds.  But here I will share how Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim showed me to prepare this.  Incidentally, this soup is wonderful after a strenuous Jung Suwon class, when you crave food, but need something light and healthy.

First, go outside and see what plants you can find.  If you don’t know plants very well, you could go to a local health food store and buy some dandelions, it will work well.

Otherwise, here are some plants you could use:

Stinging nettle

stingless nettle

Sorrell

Pick a bunch of very young leaves only.  No flowers or old leaves – just the very young sprouts and tips of leaves.  Wash very well in water with Kosher salt, several times.  Chop into bite sized pieces (they are probably the right size if you picked them at their ideal “age.”)

Saute some onions and ground garlic in olive oil (if you prefer butter, that works too), until onion and garlic turn beige to light brown.  Add half of the wild herbs and briefly saute.  Add some flour (I use Shirley’s gluten free mix (see bottom of page), but you could use any gluten free combination you like, except, perhaps, coconut flour and almond flour.)

Brown the flour and then add either chicken broth, or water.  I prefer water, as it lets the fine flavor of the wild veggis come through, but chicken broth is also very good.

Put this in a blender and blend until smooth.  It should be nice and creamy.  Add salt and pepper to taste, but don’t overpower it.  The main flavor should be the wild herbs.  Finely chop the  rest of the herbs and add into the soup, just slightly heating it.

And that’s it, it’s that simple!  You could of course, get fancy and add a dollop of sour cream.  Or, if you want it more “Korean” flavored, mix in some goju chang.  (spicy red pepper paste.)  Or you could add some croutons and even some chicken.

But, as Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim points out, sometimes the simple things are the best!  I happen to like this soup the simplest way possible!

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Beauty and the lemon

Since lemons are fruits, and as such, food, I feel justified in blogging about other benefits of the wonderful lemon here.

Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim has taught me a long time ago, that lemons have incredible powers, aside from being health powerhouses, loaded with vitamin C and all other sorts of wonderful things.

But what Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim also points out, is that lemons are wonderful in helping your skin stay young and supple and healthy looking.  Before each meal, including at restaurants, Great Grandmaster Kim asks for some cut up lemon, then takes a wedge, and squeezes the juice into her palms and then gently massages it into her hands.  This not only thoroughly cleans your hands, it will also make the skin so smooth!

After you rub in the lemon juice, let your hands dry naturally in the air.  Don’t rush this step.  Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim advises to let the lemon juice and all its goodness soak in well.  Do not dry off your hands.  Let them dry naturally.

If you want to get the full “lemon benefit” in your life, have some cut up lemons and kosher salt in your shower, Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim says, ” just before you get into the shower, squeeze some lemon juice into a handful of Kosher Salt, and make a paste – use that instead of soap.”

“Here look at my hands, at my skin,” Great Grandmaster Kim offers, “See how smooth they are, just like baby skin.”

During lectures and seminars, Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim sometimes has her staff pass out out freshly cut lemon wedges, for everyone in attendance to try this.

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