Beef N Veggie Soup aka, RX in a pot!

 Beef and Vegetable Soup, RX in a Pot!

This is my "go to" soup recipe when I'm not feeling well.  Don't get me wrong, it's not just for sick days -- it's a very delicious soup!  However, I created the recipe with certain goals in mind.  The soup is made from bone broth with is very beneficial when fighting infections and generally boosting the immune system (See Weston A Price Foundation on the topic.)  The veggies are all beneficial to the kidneys and bladder, as are the herbs.  The herbs included are specific for bladder conditions. It's great when I'm having an IC flare up to have a pot of this soup on hand!

Beef and Vegetable Soup, RX in a Pot!
Makes about 6 servings


Cover about 1 1/2 pounds of beef shank or ox tails with about 8 cups water. It's important to have beef with the bones in, and preferably the marrow, as well. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil.  Skim off any foam from the top of the broth and discard it.  These are the impurities in the soup that often make soup taste bitter.  Turn the heat down so the soup simmers with the lid on, about medium-low, for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on available time.*

*At this point the meat can be removed from the bones and set aside and the bones continue to be cooked in the broth for several more hours.  If that is the case, be sure to add more water, so it doesn't all evaporate.

Allow the meat to cool enough to handle.  Cut it into about 1/2" pieces and add it back into the broth.

Add the following to the soup.  All are 1/2" dice, unless otherwise indicated:

2 potatoes, peeled 
4 carrots, peeled 
1 sweet potato, peeled
4 ribs celery
1/2 head cabbage, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, minced

The above will make soup like what is pictured.  However, there are so many choices of veggies that can be used.  Rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, golden potatoes, red potatoes, pumpkin, hard squash, kale, spinach, zucchini, yellow squash are all good choices, and I'm sure there are others.  The main thing being avoiding tomatoes and other acidic foods in this soup.

The herbs and seasonings I used for this pot were:

1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds*
1 teaspoon thyme flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery seed*
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed*
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
Sea salt, to taste

Other good choices would be oregano and or basil, if thyme isn't available.  The herbs listed with * are optional if unavailable, but are particularly soothing to the bladder.

Make sure the herbs and veggies are completely covered with water and allow the soup to cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  When it is done, the meat and veggies should all be very tender and the broth a golden color.

Enjoy!