Recipes

There’s nothing wrong with going back to basics and doing what your mom probably advised when you were getting sick: Get plenty of rest and have a bowl of homemade chicken soup.

Homemade chicken soup has been proven in actual studies to reduce cold symptoms!

Making chicken or even beef bone soup is an excellent way to get both liquids and nutrition into the body.  I specify homemade, because canned soup just will not do.  Most canned soups contain a plethora of artificial ingredients in the form of flavor enhancers like MSG.

Make your soup with bones in the broth.  Of course you can skim them out later.  However, the bones add minerals, soothing gelatin, and anti-inflammatory nutrients to your soup.  This is important if you want the soup to really work for fighting your cold.

Add as many vegetables as you can muster.  The more you add, the more vitamins and minerals your soup will contain.  Some nutritional and cold-fighting veggies to add are:

• Onion
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Peas
• Cabbage

I personally recommend making up a large batch of soup in advance. Put some away in the freezer so you’re not attempting to cook while you’re sick.  Of course, it’s always better when you have a kind neighbor or friend bring you over a batch when you’re under the weather!

Here’s an adaptation of the famous chicken soup in Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Tradition’s cookbook — a book of recipes that is definitely worth its purchased price in gold. It is packed with nourishing recipes!

Cold Curing Chicken Soup

Items you’ll need:

• 1 Whole Organic Chicken (the best is organic or pasture-raised)
• 1-2 T. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Lg. Onion
• 2 Carrots coarsely chopped
• 2-3 Celery Stalks coarsely chopped
• 4 Qt. Cold Water (filtered is best)

Directions:

1. Roast the chicken in the oven at 350-degrees until it is cooked (approximately 1-1/12 hours). Once the chicken is cooled then pull the meat from the carcass. Freeze the meat in 1 C. portions to later be added to soup. { At this point, I usually freeze the carcass and any gizzards}
2. Add the chicken carcass into a large slow cooker and cover with water. Add in the vinegar and let sit for 1 hour. This will begin the process of leaching out the minerals from the chicken.
3. Add in the vegetables and turn the slow cooker to high. A small amount of foam will form on the surface ~ skim this off and discard. Turn the slow cooker to low and cook for 12-24 hours.
4. Once the broth is finished, remove and discard the carcass and vegetables.
5. Let the broth cool and store in 2 C. amounts. Freeze for long term storage.
6. Optional: If you prefer a clearer broth then strain the through a cheesecloth when adding to storage container.
7. When ready to serve chicken soup, thaw frozen chicken meat and broth. Add your preferred  vegetables.  Cook until desired tenderness and add the chicken.
8. Enjoy and stay healthy!

From our friends at LiveintheNow.com