Just recently I went to an awesome hot yoga class at Power Life here in Des Moines. The class started off with a quote by Martin Luther King Jr…. Idk if you have ever heard of him but I sure have ;).

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

I know myself and many people my age would feel comfort from hearing that…being recently out of school, starting a new job or relationship can be tough but if you just keep on moving… you’ll be just fine! I relate to this especially when it comes to the big question of “to work out today or not”?…just keep moving forward with your workouts to the best of your ability. Mine currently.. I have to walk (swollen foot) either way walking is better than nothing, I’m still moving forward, right? 🙂

Here is an outstanding comfort soup that you must try! I made it one time and gave it an a+  tastyness~so good ah! I call it Wild Soup because it is made with wild rice and a variety of “wild” mushrooms. It’s perfect for the winter and extremely healthy!

Wild Soup

1 cup wild rice

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 pound mushrooms, baby bellas and or shitake diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablesoon fresh oregano
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
1 or 2 leftover cheese rinds, optional, for deeper flavor
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk OR whole milk or heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt, divided

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the wild rice and one teaspoon of salt, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes, until the rice has burst open and tastes tender. Keep adding water if it begins to boil dry.

While the rice cooks, prepare the rest of the soup. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic and carrots with a dash of salt, and cook until the onions have softened and turned translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the mushrooms and another half teaspoon of salt. Cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and turned dark golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t skimp on this step! This is where the soup gets its deep, rich flavor.

Add oregano ( I used fresh), and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir until the vegetables become sticky and there is no more visibly dry flour. Increase the heat again to medium-high and pour in the wine. Stir and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue simmering until the wine has reduced by about half and the liquid has thickened a bit.

Add the cooked rice, bay leaf, cheese rinds (optional), and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Add the coconut milk. Simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes until the soup has thickened to your liking.

Enjoy!

~Niki