Cure-A-Cold With This Chicken Soup
Quick Homemade Remedy To Clear Your Head and Clean Out Toxins.
Oct 19, 2009
Homemade chicken noodle soup has many names: nature's cure, comfort food and delicious. It was first prescribed in the 12th century by a physician, and has been a staple of diets ever since. With the cold and flu season pouncing upon us, it's important to stay as healthy as possible, especially in this economy! Most people can't afford to be out sick for a week right now, whether it's from school, work or other obligations.
Adding some hot chicken soup to a weekly diet whether one's sick or healthy can help improve the body's immune system, clear clogged airways and nourish the body. Make a large batch of this chicken soup to last you a week at a time, and store in the fridge. Make sure to eat healthy snack recipes and stay hydrated when ill with a cold or flu.
What Makes Chicken Soup A Natural Cure
There are several things already in the classic chicken soup recipe that help fight illness and provide essential nutrients, but adding even more of these healthy element is a simple and smart way to double, or even triple, the health benefits from chicken soup. Look for the ingredients for this dish at your local farmer's market, to save money and get the freshest ingredients possible.
- Garlic and onion bulbs has a natural decongestant, acts as an antioxidant and destroys free-radicals that damage cells.
- Chicken Broth, the liquid of chicken soup provides hydration. Since it is hot, steamy and rich with fat, it provides an added soothing effect to the throat, stomach and muscles, also opening nasal passages.
- Vitamin C rich foods, such as chopped green peppers, added to the chicken soup ups the benefits.
- Fresh ginger root shaved into the soup treats coughing, opens nasal passages, reduces fever and body aches. It also aids digestion and gets rid of stomach pain and sore muscles from the flu virus.
- Vegetables like parsnips, spinach, carrots, celery, scallions and fresh herbs provide Vitamin D which boosts the immune system.
Cure-A-Cold Chicken Soup Recipe (serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 2 pieces of skinless, boneless chicken breast
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- 2 chopped onions
- 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 chopped pieces of celery
- 3 thinly chopped carrots
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Couple handfuls of noodles
- 4 thinly sliced scallions
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley and dill
- 1/3 cup green, red or yellow peppers; spinach; or parsnips and grated ginger; optional
- 1 lemon
Directions:
- Combine the chicken, one of the onions, bay leaf and garlic in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil then simmer it for about twenty minutes. While the chicken is cooking, put the olive oil in a heated soup pot, then throw in the second onion, the celery, carrots, pepper, spinach and parsnips, then season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook about seven minutes.
- Add the broth to the soup pan, 2 cups of water (only one and half for stronger chicken flavor), and boil. Place the cooked chicken on a cutting board and shred it, adding it to the soup pot. Lastly, add the noodles and cook for about five minutes. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the scallions, herbs, and the grated peel of the lemon. Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired.
If the classic recipe for chicken soup seems like old news, check out the Simple South-of-the-Border Chicken Soup recipe with a twist to make it a little more spicy, hot and south-of-the-border.
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