Cancer-Fighting Soup
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Cancer-Fighting Soup (aka Immune-Boosting Soup) is chock full of vegetables, lentils, and black beans that helps fight inflammation in the body. Whether you’re wanting to help someone with a diagnosis or just eat as healthy as possible yourself, this big-batch, freezer-friendly soup fits the bill.
Darcie’s Cancer Story
Cancer. No one expects to hear that diagnosis from their doctor, even though one in three Americans will get cancer at some point. You especially don’t expect it when you’re a 38-year-old seemingly healthy mom of four children.
My long-time and dear friend Darcie received that diagnosis in Fall 2014, after finding a lump in her breast. It was a shock to all of her friends, family and church family to say the least.
Her friends and family quickly gathered like a small army around her and her family. You see Darcie is widely known as one of the most generous, thoughtful, bleeding-heart people around our area. Many lives have been touched by her and her family in some way. Everyone loves Darcie.
A small group of her closest friends gathered a few days after her diagnosis to pray and plan for her. I was awed as I saw each friend in our group using her own particular gifting to serve and encourage her. It’s humbling to watch the church at work as the hands and feet of Jesus during a time of crisis like this.
(Below: Living it up 80’s style with Darcie (on right), me (center) and our friend (Kelley). Can you handle all that blue eye shadow and crimping?)
And what do you think was my first inclination when I heard the news about my friend? To cook!
My mission in the days to follow her diagnosis: How can I make my friend the most nutritious, delicious, cancer-fighting soup possible?
Ingredients
After deep-dive researching the best foods to fight breast cancer and what to eat when you have breast cancer, I came up with these phytochemical-rich, protein-rich, and fiber-rich ingredients for the soup…
- Onion, celery, carrots, garlic – The key to the complex flavor is to saute these ingredients to kick-start their flavor.
- Chicken or vegetable broth – We have three ways to make your own chicken broth.
- Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste – If you want to kick up the flavor more, used fire roasted diced tomatoes instead of crushed.
- Lentils – We used dried quick-cooking lentils (any color will work). If used canned, cooked lentils, just stir them in towards the end of the cook time.
- Black beans – I used pre-cooked, canned black beans.
- Bay leaves, red pepper flakes, Italian Seasoning – All of these pantry ingredients kick up the flavor.
- Zucchini – You can leave this out if you want.
- Mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach – I learned in my research that these veggies along with lentils and black beans are some of the best for fighting breast cancer.
- Frozen green peas
IMPORTANT! Please keep in mind that I am not a dietician or licensed medical practitioner, so please ask your doctor if the ingredients included in this soup are ok for you if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer and/or are receiving treatment. I’ve read that some foods like grapefruit and even garlic can interfere with certain medications.
Pro Tip!
Be sure chop all of the vegetables about the same size so they cook evenly and are bite-sized. It’s actually a pet peeve of mine when vegetable soup contains pieces that are too big to enjoy in one bite. It’s worth taking the time to chop them perfectly.
How to Make Cancer-Fighting Soup
It’s important for you to know that this makes a BIG batch. I did that so you can have leftovers to put in the freezer for later. But, feel free to cut the ingredients in half you want.
- Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.
- Saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 4-5 minutes, until tender. Add in the garlic and stir for 1 more minute. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (to your preferred heat level), and Italian seasoning.
- Stir in the chicken or vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans, lentils, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer (slight bubbling), stirring occasionally. Season again lightly with salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini, mushrooms, cauliflower, and broccoli and simmer another 5-10 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and frozen peas and turn off the heat (or turn to low), so they don’t overcook. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- If you like, serve with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and/or whole grain crackers or crusty bread.
Freezing Soup
This soup is perfect for making ahead and taking to a friend. If you want, just change the name to “Immune-Boosting Soup” if your friend has a cold. 🙂 It has been tested from fresh, reheated from the fridge as leftovers, and reheated after being frozen. It is delicious and works great in all these situations
Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1-5. Let the soup cool completely. Suggestion: divide soup into some shallow pans to put in the refrigerator to cool it more quickly. Divide soup into gallon-sized freezer bags or containers or into 2-cup Pyrex glass containers, squeeze out excess air, seal, and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw using one of these safe thawing methods. Then reheat gently over low heat on the stove or in a crock pot. Another option is to put the frozen soup block over low to medium-low heat on the stove top or in a crock pot. Add about 1-2 cups of water or broth over the top. Gently warm over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Follow step 6 for serving.
If you want to deliver it to a friend as a fresh meal or freezer meal, you can deliver it in a freezer container with lid or mason jars. I love using mason jars, since the soup can be divided into single servings. Just be sure to leave at least 1 inch of headspace at the top if freezing.
My hope is that you can make this recipe for yourself and/or take it to anyone else who is battling cancer or an illness. This Cancer-Fighting Soup fights inflammation in the body and provides warmth and comfort when healing.
More Encouragement for Loved Ones
You may even want to add a word of encouragement to the container you deliver it in, too. I quickly scribbled out a few favorite encouraging Bible verses in sharpie on the freezer containers of the soup for Darcie.
Or you may want to include a set of our printable Truth for Trials verse cards.
I hope this recipe is a blessing to you or someone else. Please leave a comment for me, and I’d love to pray for you or a loved one who is battling cancer.
P.S. Thanks to Darcie for letting me share some of her story. She said to me, “Share on, sister. Hoping it makes a difference, inspiring someone to change one small thing about their lifestyle.”
P.P.S. In case you’re wondering, here is the story of Darcie’s Head-Shaving Party and more about how she’s doing. It’s so encouraging!
P.P.P.S. This post was originally shared February 2015. It has since been updated and reposted. At the time of updating this post on 10/17/24, Darcie is now 9 years cancer-free (“no evidence of disease”) and doing great! Also, her beautiful thick blonde hair is back.
More Vegetarian Recipes You’ll Love
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Cancer-Fighting Soup
This hearty, big batch soup brings a nutrient-dense, tasty dose of vegetables to the table. Make ahead and freeze for later using our freezing instructions.
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2–3 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less if you don’t like heat)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 12 cups (or three 32-ounce cartons) of chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 28–ounce can of crushed tomatoes (look for BPA-free cans)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (15-ounce) can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup dry, quick-cooking lentils (any color will work; rinse first)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, diced
- 1 cup cauliflower, chopped finely
- 1 cup broccoli, chopped finely
- 2–3 cups spinach, chopped
- 1–2 cups frozen green peas
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.
- Saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 4-5 minutes, until tender. Add in the garlic and stir for 1 more minute. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (to your preferred heat level), and Italian seasoning.
- Stir in the chicken or vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans, lentils, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer (slight bubbling), stirring occasionally. Season again lightly with salt and pepper. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the zucchini, mushrooms, cauliflower, and broccoli and simmer another 5-10 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and frozen peas and turn off the heat (or turn to low), so they don’t overcook. Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- If you like, serve with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and/or whole grain crackers or crusty bread.
Freeze For Later: Follow steps 1-5. Let the soup cool completely. Suggestion: divide soup into some shallow pans to put in the refrigerator to cool it more quickly. Divide soup into gallon-sized freezer bags or containers, squeeze out excess air, seal, and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Thaw using one of these safe thawing methods. Then reheat gently over low heat on the stove or in a crock pot. Another option is to put the frozen soup block over low to medium-low heat on the stove top or in a crock pot. Add about 1-2 cups of water or broth over the top. Gently warm over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Follow step 6 for serving.
Notes/Tips
- It’s a good idea to chop your veggies all about the same size, so they cook evenly and they are bite-sized.
- These sturdy reusable freezer bags work well for freezing and gifting the soup in.
Best soup ever! I’ve made it many times and everyone loves it. I only substitute chopped asparagus for the peas, because my family doesn’t like green peas.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Good idea to sub out the peas and use asparagus instead.
I have a pot of this soup on the stove right now. It looks delicious with all the fresh vegetables in it.
My son just had colon cancer surgery on April 24. Please pray for him. is at this minute with his oncology doctor for the first time. We are Christians and fully believe that God is in the center of everything. His name is Jeff Berryman. God bless you and thank you.
What a wonderful mom you are to pray for, support, and cook for your son. I feel the pain for you. Praying right now that the Lord would heal him, sustain him and your family during this time, bring good from this trial, and provide for all of his needs along the way. May the Lord be glorified and your family be blessed. Hurry the day…