Chicken Soup for the Soul

I have officially been mildly sick the entire month of December. It's more annoying than anything. I am not sick enough to stay home, but just sick enough to make everything that much harder to do. Yesterday I felt better so I went to the gym, today I wake up and am a mucus factory AGAIN! W-T-Hell? I guess I wasn't exaggerating my need for chicken soup when I made a GIANT pot 2 nights ago.

I'm not sure what it is about chicken soup that instantly makes you feel better when you are sick, but it does. And it's pretty simple too. Here's how I do it...

• 1/2 chicken (mine was from the farm)
• 1/2 pot water
• 1 container organic vegetable broth
• 2 onions, cut in half
• carrot tops (if you buy carrots with the tops still on, if not omit)
• spices: thyme, sage, sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, bay leaves (3)

this is what it looks like in the beginning

Put above in pot w/ lid. Boil for 45 minutes. VOILA! Homemade chicken stock! In a second pot, pour contents of first pot THROUGH A STRAINER. This is to separate the liquid from everything else. While the chicken is cooling enough to pick apart, chop up veggies:

• carrots
• celery
• turnips
• onions
• mushrooms

carrot tops can be used in soups and salads

this is what it looks like after 45 minutes

strain out all the stuff

make sure you rinse your grains before you add them in
you can even soak them for 30 minutes if you want

You can also use leeks, potatoes, and/or corn. Put the veggies in with the broth. Pick the meat off the chicken, put back in the soup. Bring soup to boil. Add in 1 cup quinoa. Let boil for 2 minutes and then turn heat down to let simmer for 20. You do not have to use quinoa, you can use brown rice (although it takes longer), egg noodles, or barley. If you are using egg noodles, I would make them separately and add in as you eat the soup, otherwise they absorb too much liquid and get mushy and break apart.

taste it and add in any more salt & pepper if needed

What I usually do is leave some in the refrigerator and freeze some. If you do that with every pot of soup/stew/chili you make, you will have a good stock built up in the freezer for a fast meal. Enjoy!