Nutrient Rich Lemon Pepper Cabbage

Is there anything better than soup when you’re sick?

Maybe lemons…

Lemons are beautiful, but did you know they are packed full of vitamin C? A single lemon contains half of the daily recommended dietary allowance of vitamin C, and that’s pretty impressive.

My family has been sick for the last two weeks, and I’m so over it. I wasn’t really doing anything to combat it under the assumption that I’d only be sick for a day or two. Like a true optimist, with each day that passed, I was sure I would feel better tomorrow. But, like my father always says, “Tomorrow never comes.” Alas, I’m still sick.

So, the last two days, I’ve been sipping cup after cup of hot lemon tea, and I feel amazing-ish. Even my nails are shimmering thanks to the collagen my body has been making with this new dose of vitamin C. 

Don’t get me wrong, though. I feel better than yesterday, but I still have the worst congestion. My cough is almost non-existent, though, thanks to this amazing lemon tea and this awesome and delicious soup.

Last night, time slipped away, and I had to come up with a quick dinner for five. I knew I was going to make dumplings, but we needed something hearty to go with them. I didn’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen, but I realized everyone needed a boost of nutrients to fight this bug.

This soup is incredible. Not only is it loaded with nutrient packed vegetables, but it’s also quick. It took me less than twenty minutes to put together and cook in one pot.

I used leftover cabbage from the cabbage rolls I made the day before, fresh sliced carrots, crisp green onions, minced garlic, sliced mushrooms, and a simple broth.

The secret to getting the vegetables so tender is slicing them thinly, and steaming is the ultimate method for retaining those vital nutrients. Sautéing them for a couple of minutes before steaming also brings out their best flavors.

A bamboo steamer is something I highly recommend using if you’re adding dumplings to this soup, but you really could just pop a lid on your pot. The cool thing about the steamer, though, is that you can steam your dumplings while your veggies simmer.

Because the vegetables are naturally packed with so much flavor, a simple broth really let’s them shine. This broth is phenomenal, and I owe the addition of lemon to my mom. I thought it needed an acid, and I normally would have gone for a white wine or rice vinegar, but she suggested a bit of fresh lemon juice, and it completely made this broth.

Everyone loved this soup and left the kitchen satisfied. It’s easy on the stomach, and the mild peppery kick is enough to get a few extra blissful minutes of easy breathing.

Be sure to give this soup a try the next time you need a delicious pick-me-up. It may not be an instant cure, but there is no doubt that it contains all the cold-fighting vitamins and minerals we appreciate.

Let me know in the comments what you think. I’d love to know if you’ve made something similar or how you would change this soup to suit your taste.