Chicken Soup to Kick Cold Season's Butt!

So, school started, and immediately following everyone gets sick. Blech! Tis the season, jumbles of kids and adults sitting in close proximity to each other for hours at a time.  How do you avoid the dreaded cold? Well, you need to make sure that you are healthy so that your immune system can focus on what it does best - killing bad invaders! And you can make sure your body has plenty of nutrients to help keep your defenses strong.

This chicken soup is made from a bone broth, so it's got tons of good nutrients and fat to help nourish your gut and keep things in tip-top shape.  Add in some of your favorite chicken soup veggies, a bit of meat, then right before serving, swirl in a bit of juice from your fermented veggies.  Probiotics, to keep up the good flora!

So, from the very beginning we take a nice chicken and roast it! I like to slather on some dijon mustard and sprinkle with paprika.  This makes a crispy, yummy skin.  Cook for about 20 minutes per pound, and typically at least 2.5 hours no matter what the weight.  When the chicken is done, enjoy it! Eat it as is and/or make some chicken salad.   Save a little to add to your chicken soup when your done though.

 

Take the remaining bones, joints, and whatever tissue didn't come off and the organs and throw them in a pot.  Cover with water and bring to a low boil. Add some apple cider vinegar, sea salt, peppercorns, and any other flavors that you would like (i.e. onion, carrot, bay leaf, thyme, etc).  Let simmer for as long as you can.

When it's done cooking, strain the bones and other left overs and keep the broth.

Next cut up some of your favorite chicken soup veggies.  I like carrots, celery and onion.  Add in a sprig of fresh thyme. And if you have a cold, adding a bunch of garlic will help fight it off.  Saute in butter or oil until they are tender, then add broth and chicken breast, and you get a fabulous, warm, healing, nourishing, healthy soup that will get you through any cold and help ward off any more.  This is also good when you just want a hug.  There is just something about chicken soup.....

Ah! Just look at the beautiful, silky broth! Yum! This is another one of those foods where I can just FEEL my body absorbing all of the nutrients.  It's wonderful.