Burdock Root also known as Gobo

I’m not the only dentist who has laid down the drill in a quest for building a better food system. Dr. JoAnn Quattrone is a kindred spirit. She sold her Monroe NY dental practice in 2006 and is now an herbalist,  holistic health counselor and tireless healthy food advocate.  Her lentil soup recipe below is simple, health supportive and delicious.So easy to make. Get your ingredients, fill your pot with water and off you go!

A quick note about ingredients:

Burdock is a long, slender brown colored root vegetable. You can find it in health food stores or Asian markets. The Japanese call it Gobo.  I love to make  kinpira which is a dish of  julienned or shredded burdock root and carrots   braised with soy sauce, maple syrup mirin or sake and toasted sesame oil. Burdock is very grounding and cleansing.

Black beluga lentils are one of the smallest of the lentil family. Shiny black in color and easy to cook. They makes a beautiful garnish, also great in soups and salads. They look like caviar after cooking.

Lentils help to prevent estrogenic cancers.  Burdock root has been used historically to purify blood and remove toxins.  This soup is very grounding and nourishing to all the body’s systems.

Dr. JoAnn Quattrone’s Black Beluga Lentil with Wild Rice and Burdock Root Soup

3/4 C lentils
1 onion minced
5 cloves garlic minced
2 stalks celery chopped
5 carrots chopped
1/4 C wild rice
1 burdock root chopped
1 tomato cut up
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp olive oil
dash sea salt and pepper
1 tsp cumin

Put all ingredients in a pot fill with water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour. Enjoy!