It’s that time of year again when germs seem to be running rampant and we begin to think more about protecting ourselves from illness. Proper, frequent hand washing and staying away from sick people are both good steps to staying well. Our favorite immune boosting trick here at The Secret Ingredient is consuming nutrient dense, whole foods. Since a large part of our immune system resides in the gut, proper gut health means a strong immune system. Homemade bone broth heals and seals the gut thus creating a strong immune system. If you missed it, we recently ran a blog post on bone broth that includes more information as well as recipes. If you aren’t up to making your own bone broth, both PCC and Whole Foods now sell real (!) bone broth in their frozen sections. It’s on the pricey side, so we still recommend making it yourself when possible. In our chicken veggie soup, we combine the amazing benefits of bone broth with nutrient dense veggies to give your body a real treat. Enjoy this soup throughout the fall and winter seasons, especially when feel like you need a little pick me up!
Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup (Makes about 4 quarts, or 8 servings)
4 chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, minced
1 cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 lbs green beans cut into bite sized pieces
1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
4 cups bone broth or 8 cups good quality chicken stock
4 sprigs rosemary
5 sprigs thyme
cumin
salt
pepper
Heat oven to 400. Place chicken breasts in a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 30 minutes until cooked through (165 degrees F).
In a large soup pot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté onions until caramelized. Add finely minced herbs, celery and carrots and cook for 10-15 minutes covered over low heat until vegetables are partly tender. Add bone broth, chicken, cauliflower and enough water to cover the chicken. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Add green beans and cook for about 10-15 minutes until they are crisp tender.
Add kale and more water if necessary. Cook for a couple minutes until kale is wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
