There is nothing more comforting than a hearty, nutritious bowl of homemade adzuki bean soup especially as we head into the cooler months of fall and winter. Not only are soups known to promote healthy digestion, but they also support the reproductive organs, which correspond to the Water element in Chinese medicine, favoring cooked foods, slowly simmered in liquid. As an added bonus, the corresponding flavor of the water element is salt, so to build your fertility, immunity and combat stress, I recommend cutting up pieces of dried seaweed like kombu and wakame and adding them to any soups, stews, hot breakfast cereals and casseroles. You will be getting a healthy dose of minerals without compromising on taste!

Adzuki Bean stew

This soup delights the palate and includes healthful onion and garlic which help to build immunity and keep blood flow moving. Spinach, rich in chlorophyll, combines with tomatoes to fortify and purify the blood. Make a big batch of this flavorful soup on a Sunday and enjoy throughout the week! To make this dish suitable for vegetarians make this stew with vegetable stock and omit roasted chicken.

Serves 4
Cooking time: 60 minutes

3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon thyme
2 cups adzuki beans, pre-cooked
32 ounces organic chicken stock or veggie stock
4 whole stewed tomatoes
8 ounces spinach
1/2 cup edamame
Optional: 1 cup roasted chicken (main attraction) or brown rice
Sea salt or dulse flakes to taste

Sauté garlic and onions in olive oil until softened. Add thyme and adzuki beans.
Slowly stir in chicken stock. The longer you allow this soup to simmer, the better it tastes. Finish by adding stewed tomatoes, edamame and spinach, until wilted.

Source: Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul