It certainly seems as though we have bid a windy farewell to another summer and are in the midst of welcoming autumn back in full swing! The days are becoming shorter and cooler as the leaves turn to bright red and gold. And who doesn’t love sipping a pumpkin spice latte on a lazy Sunday afternoon??? But welcoming the fall season back can certainly come with challenges for some, especially for us vegetarians who love to lunch on fresh salads full of vitamin packed veggies that are typically too cooling to really enjoy when the weather is cold.

So how can vegetarians stay healthy during the cooler weather without resorting mainly to pasta and bread for the next 6 months?There is no doubt thatwhen we load up on starchy and refined carbs that we all tend to crave in the colder weather, we just don’t feel great. The tendency is to feel bloated and lethargic, and often gain weight when we start to miss out on the fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that fresh fruits and veggies provide. So to add these key nutrients back in to your diet while still satisfying your cravings for warm and hearty foods, I suggest loading up your hearty home-made soups with the greens you are craving, such as kale, collards or spinach. You can try this easy and delicious recipe for Kale and Navy Bean soup that is adapted from Caroline Dupont’s Enlightened Eating:

Kale and Navy Bean Soup

1 cup of navy beans (soaked overnight)
6 cups of water
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion or leek
1 large celery stalk with some leaves (chopped)
1 large carrot, grated
1 small bunch chopped kale (thick stems removed)
2 tsp. thyme
1 Tbs. vegetable broth powder
1 Tbs. tamari (try Bragg’s liquid aminos/soy sauce)
1-2 tsp. sea salt
pepper to taste

1. Drain and rinse navy beans. Place in medium sized pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until tender (about 1 ½ hours).

2. In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat and gently fry onion (or leek), celery and carrot until the veggies soften. Add kale for the last 1-2 minutse to soften.

3. Add cooked beans to vegetable mixture along with cooking water, thyme, veggie broth powder, tamari, salt and pepper.

4. Simmer 15 minutes or until kale is softened to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning.

This soup saves very well in the fridge for at least 3 days and you can also pour this hot soup over additional raw kale or baby spinach to gain some of the benefit of live enzymes from the greens. Kale is an excellent source of vitamin A and C as well as a powerful antioxidant while the navy beans provide protein and loads of fibre to keep you feeling full. I love eating this a few hours before my yoga practice because it’s filling, but not overly heavy and gives me tons of energy!

Adrienne Kelly-Durys is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner, 500Hr RYT and lover of feeling good in mind and body. She teaches Yoga and wellness classes at Balanced Life Yoga and specializes in detoxing and nourishment. Classes include Power Hour Yoga, Core Yoga and Strength Therapy, Power Hour +Bonus and Holistic Nutritional Consulting.