Turmeric's golden gifts ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
FEBRUARY 2026 Hello friends, calling out to you from the deep winter, the snow, the fires burning inside. It is the month of love (although I don't need a special day to celebrate it!), and connecting to the hearts around us.
The days are still short, but the light is returning, asking us to tend what glows within. This is the moment for turmeric, the golden rhizome that has long been used to warm, protect, and illuminate the body from the inside out. Bringing turmeric into our kitchens is a way of inviting that light inward, supporting immunity when reserves are low, stoking digestive fire after heavy winter foods, and rekindling vitality as we move toward spring.
Turmeric's power lies in curcumin, a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound that helps modulate the immune response and calm chronic inflammation. It supports digestion by stimulating bile production, easing bloating, and helping the body better metabolize fats. Traditionally used in Ayurveda as a daily tonic, turmeric is also known to support liver health, circulation, and joint comfort. When paired with black pepper and a source of fat, its benefits become even more bioavailable, turning this humble root into a deeply nourishing ally for the season of renewal.
I hope you bring the light inside and get the glow from the recipe I share below, called The Golden Healer. This is a rich and nourishing soup that is so perfect for curling up with when you're feeling those winter blahs. Light a candle, turn on the stove, and cook this low and slow meal to get you through until Spring - we are almost there.
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When we are this deep in winter, we need a deep healing soup to protect and fortify. This recipe came to me from a place of deep listening - my intuition was the guide, and my body created something soothing, rich, and golden. A perfect bowl on a cold day, it's like bringing the golden sunshine inside, with the power of plant allies like turmeric, ginger, and garlic to support our immunity, digestion, and vitality during the darkest days.
This recipe can easily be made vegetarian, although using bone broth is highly recommended due to its immune support, soothing effect on the nervous system, and rich nourishment that is easily digested. Swap the broth out for veggie stock, and replace the meat with something substantial like lentils, beans, or tofu. If you do use chicken, the amount you include is up to you. Personally, I like using two breasts in the recipe since a bowl becomes truly a filling meal. | | INGREDIENTS 1-2 Tbsp. ghee or expeller-pressed coconut oil
2 Tbsp. turmeric root, freshly grated, sub with 2 tsp. dried
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, or more to taste
2 medium onions, diced
Generous pinch sea salt
7 cloves garlic, minced
2 leeks, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3-4 cups / 750 - 1000ml chicken bone broth (sub with veggie broth)
3-4 lemon slices
1-2 large cooked chicken breasts, shredded
Flat-leaf parsley, olive oil, and black pepper for serving
DIRECTIONS
- Melt the ghee in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Stir constantly until fragrant, then add the onions and a generous pinch of salt, and cook for 10 minutes or so, until they have softened and are starting to caramelize. Add the garlic, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the leeks and carrots and another pinch of salt.
- Pour in the broth along with the lemon slices. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until the carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add the shredded chicken, and bring up to a simmer again. It's ready to eat at this point, so you can serve it right away, or keep it hot on the stove for later. Store any leftovers in a glass container in the fridge for up to five days.
- Serve with plenty of chopped parsley, a drizzle of olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper. Say thank you and enjoy.
Serves 4 | | | | |
Get the Glow! Turmeric's Golden Gifts | | Turmeric is a fascinating plant, both botanically and culturally, and knowing how it grows adds another layer of respect for how precious it is. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a tropical perennial in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), native to South and Southeast Asia. It thrives in warm, humid climates with rich, well-drained soil and plenty of rainfall. The plant sends up long, lush green leaves that look almost ornamental, and in mature plants, pale yellow or white flowers can emerge from the base. It takes about 8–10 months to mature, after which the underground portion is harvested, cleaned, and either used fresh or boiled and dried for grinding into powder. Botanically speaking, turmeric is a rhizome, not a root or a tuber. - A root absorbs water and nutrients but does not store energy or produce shoots.
- A tuber (like a potato) is a swollen storage stem with "eyes" that sprout.
- A rhizome is a horizontal underground stem that stores nutrients and sends out shoots and roots from its nodes.
| | Ginger and turmeric are classic examples of rhizomes. What we commonly call "turmeric root" is actually this thick, branching rhizome, with smaller finger-like offshoots that can be replanted to grow new plants. One of the most beautiful things about turmeric is that it's traditionally propagated by hand, not by seed. Each piece of rhizome is a continuation of the parent plant, making turmeric a literal living lineage passed from season to season and culture to culture. This is part of why it has been so deeply woven into food, medicine, ritual, and dyeing traditions across India and beyond. The vivid golden-orange color of turmeric isn't just aesthetic, it's functional. Those pigments evolved to protect the plant underground, and they happen to interact powerfully with the human body, particularly in the gut, liver, and immune system. In many traditional systems, turmeric is considered both cleansing and protective, a plant that strengthens boundaries while keeping things flowing.
If you'd like, I can also share how fresh turmeric differs from dried, why it stains everything it touches, or how turmeric has been used symbolically in ceremonies and daily life.
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As the days slowly lengthen, may this simple ritual of warmth and nourishment remind you that the light never truly leaves - it just asks to be tended. With love and gratitude,
Sarah B | | | No longer want to receive these emails? Unsubscribe. Abundance Unlimited Media James St E. Cobourg, Ontario K9A 1H3 | | | | |
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