Wellness Wednesday Offering No. 11: The Super Food of Music!

When we think of “super foods” we generally think of nutrient dense foods. These foods have healing and enriching qualities that help maintain a healthy life and a balanced wellbeing.
While speaking about music that is nutrient dense, one piece came to our minds immediately: Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. This piece weaves so many emotions and feelings throughout the 20+ minute work. It offers calm, peace, joy, energy, textures, colors, flavors, etc. All of that in one singular work.
In today’s Wellness offering, we talk about the music and food analogy. Music Director Daniel Hege likens programming a concert to planning a dinner. Radio Kansas host, Katelyn Mattson-Levy calls Copland’s work a bowl of super foods. And Concertmaster Holly Mulcahy speaks of specific flavors and how sounds in music can reflect the certain flavors and tastes.
We asked Kelly Rae Leffel from Tanya’s Soup Kitchen to share a few thoughts about the mixing of flavors and nutrients in one of Tanya’s favorite soup recipes, which will be shared below!
TSK Keto To-Go Soup: Spiced Chicken Ginger Stew
2tbl olive oil
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 inches fresh ginger, grated (sub 2 tsp ground ginger)
1-inch fresh turmeric, grated (sub for 1 tsp ground turmeric)
1 diced onion
2 celery stalks, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp coriander
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of white pepper and cayenne
Meat from 1 Roasted Chicken
2 cups ¼ inch cubed Butternut Squash
1 20 oz can diced tomatoes (I like to crush them by hand to break up a bit and release juices)
8-10 cups Chicken Stock
1 zucchini, quartered
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup ¼ inch green beans
Juice from 1 lemon
1 cup chopped kale; ribs removed
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste (I like using crushed red pepper flakes along with my black pepper)
Heat olive oil in stock pot, add cumin seed, fresh ginger, garlic, and turmeric (if using ground, wait to add along with other seasoning). This toasts the cumin seeds and brings out the aromatics of fresh ginger and turmeric. After a minute add onions, celery, and bell pepper. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add dry seasoning and sauté another minute, keep stirring or you could possibly burn your seasoning. Add meat, squash, diced tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer until butternut squash is tender, add the remaining vegetables, except kale and cilantro, and simmer another 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the kale, lemon juice, and cilantro only moments before serving, keeping your ingredients nice and bright! Serve and enjoy!