Editor's note: Alissa Malerman's Saturday column explored ways to find some "me" time while catering to special diets. This recipe is one of the special diet-friendly recipes mentioned in that column.

Check out this recipe from Chef Jeff Johnson of Om Cafe in Ferndale. Johnson doesn't mince words when it comes to the importance of food. Quoting Hippocrates, he said a mantra of Om is: “Let thy food be the medicine and the medicine be thy food.”

And this recipe is good medicine: It's vegan, gluten-free and chock full of fresh vegetables, including the Jerusalem artichoke, which is neither an artichoke nor from Jerusalem, by the way! It is a tuber that can be eaten raw or cooked any way you would cook a small potato. Whole Foods says it carries Jerusalem artichokes in the late fall to winter. There are Whole Foods stores in Rochester, Troy and West Bloomfield.

In this recipe, just chop and drop into a stock pot for a filling and healthful soup.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

2 tbspns. vegan butter

1 fennel bulb

2 celery stalks

1 large leek

3.5 lbs. Jerusalem artichokes

64 oz. vegetable stock

2 oz. lemon juice

1 oz. salt

2 tsp. pepper

Garnish

1 tbspn. red radish, diced

1 tspn. celery leaf

0.5 oz. truffle oil

2 oz. shitake mushrooms

Chop veggies and combine vegan butter, fennel, celery leek, Jerusalem artichoke, stock, lemon juice, salt and pepper in large stock pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve topped with garnish.