Courtesy of Stephanie A. Meyer
Even if you’re washing your hands, running from the sneezers, and taking advantage of long, dark nights to get extra sleep, it can still happen: the tickle in your throat turns into an ache, your husky voice becomes a cough, and the fatigue you powered through yesterday (oops) knocks you absolutely flat today.
At the first sign of a sniffle, or even in the middle of a full-blown viral attack, do not underestimate the power of a serious soup to put you back on the road to healing.
What’s a serious soup? A soup made from scratch with ingredients that are not just delicious and soothing, but really pack a nutritious wallop.
“Soups are an excellent choice during cold and flu season, but not just because they can warm you up. They’re great vehicles for immune-boosting garlic, ginger, and herbs and spices. Soups can also keep you hydrated during the cold months,” says registered dietician Lizzie Streit, adjunct professor at Northwestern Health and Sciences University and blogger at It’s A Veg World After All.
If it sounds tricky to get all that goodness into a bowl of soup, it doesn’t have to be. A few years back, I shared my recipe for what I call Healing Green Broth, and it took on a life of its own. To boost immunity or feel better faster when you’re sick, blend good, hot broth with greens, herbs, lemon, a little healthy fat, and a boost of powdered collagen. It’s like a warm, green hug and packs quite a healing punch in one little mug.
Below I share my recipe for really rich chicken broth, which is the key to good Healing Green Broth. Make a big batch now, while you feel good, and stash in your freezer. (Alternatively, if you don’t eat meat, make a batch of rich veggie broth and include immune-boosting ginger, turmeric, dried mushrooms, and seaweed.) Then, when you know you’re fighting off a virus, buzz up a mug of Healing Green Broth or use it as a base for a hearty soup (add your favorite noodles, vegetables, and protein) and feel better soon!
Rich Chicken Broth
Makes 4 cups (recipe can be easily doubled)
- 1 pound organic (free-range/pastured) chicken wings or chicken legs or a whole cut up chicken (wings make great broth)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled & quartered
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed & peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cups water
INSTRUCTIONS:
Get ready to release some aggression. Set out a small stockpot or Dutch oven (or Instant Pot; instructions below). Grab a cleaver, and a large cutting board. Lay the chicken pieces (or whole bird) on the cutting board and start hacking with your cleaver. Like, stand back, make sure no human body parts are anywhere near, and thwack! Hack into the bones in several places, perhaps even through the bones (this is also true if you’re using leftover roast chicken bones; no need to hack up feet if you’re using them).
Toss the hacked pieces into the stock pot as you go. When you’re done, add water, bay leaves, onion, garlic, and salt.
Set the stock pot over medium-low heat. Bring to a slow, slow simmer, NOT a boil. Do not cover. It will take awhile to come to a simmer, which is great, because you can wash a few dishes and clean up. Check the broth every once in a while.
When it’s slowly simmering, turn the heat to low, and let the broth barely simmer for up to 2 hours, skimming occasionally without stirring.
Remove from heat and set aside until cool enough to handle. Line a chinois or colander with two layers of cheese cloth and strain warm broth into a large pitcher or bowl. Discard chicken, bones, and vegetables. I taste for salt and add a bit more at this point, but you can leave it as is and adjust seasoning as you cook with it – your call.
Cool broth to room temperature. Transfer remaining cooled (or jars will crack in the freezer) broth to 2-3 glass mason jars. Make sure to leave a solid half inch of head space for the broth to expand as it freezes
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:
- Prepare chicken per above instead tossing hacked pieces into Instant Pot insert. Add water, bay leaves, onion, garlic, and salt. (Pay attention to the Instant Pot fill line and do not exceed it.)
- Pressure cook broth for 45 minutes.
- When done, turn Instant Pot off and let rest for 30 minutes without opening. Release pressure and strain and store per above.
Basic Healing Green Broth
Serves 1
Courtesy of Stephanie A. Meyer
Green broth soup
- 1 cup rich broth
- 1 cup greens (watercress, upland cress, arugula, spinach, or pea shoot leaves or any combination)
- 1 tablespoon each chopped tarragon and chives
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon ghee or grass-fed butter (substitute extra-virgin olive or avocado oil for dairy-free)
- 2 tablespoons (one scoop) collagen peptides (optional)
- sea salt to taste
- few grinds black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat broth until very hot. While broth heats, put remaining ingredients except salt in a Vitamix or other high-powered blender. Pour broth into the blender and (carefully, especially when working with hot liquids) blend on high speed until pale green and frothy.
Season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice.
Located in Bloomington, Northwestern Health Sciences University is a pioneer in integrative natural healthcare education, offering degree programs in chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, nutrition, post-bac, pre-health/pre-med and B.S. completion. Its clinic is open to the public and provides chiropractic treatment, massage therapy, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, naturopathic medicine, and physical therapy.
