Soups
Immune Support Soup
Source: Rachelle Price, ND
This tasty soup is nourishing, hearty and slow-cooked, allowing for easy absorption of the immune-supportive nutrients it contains. Any other vegetables may be added such as peppers or kale. The soup stock is best homemade as it increases the nutrient density and is a great way to get the most out of chicken or other bones. If you prefer vegetarian, you can collect the unused scraps of onions and veggies in a container in your freezer until you are ready to make a vegetable stock. See the "health" tab above for tips on how to stay healthy and boost your immune system.
Ingredients:
Simmer chicken breasts in stock for 1 hour. Check periodically to make sure the water doesn’t boil away; add more water as necessary. During the last half-hour, add garlic, ginger onion(s), mushrooms, cabbage and sweet potatoes. Add spices if dried here (if fresh, add at the end). You can also add the carrots and cabbage now or wait for another 15 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes without boiling. Remove from heat. Add tamari (or salt), miso, cayenne pepper and other fresh seasonings to the broth. A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime also tastes good right before serving.
A second option is to put it all in a crock pot until the chicken is well done. Enjoy. Cheers to your health!
Source: Rachelle Price, ND
This tasty soup is nourishing, hearty and slow-cooked, allowing for easy absorption of the immune-supportive nutrients it contains. Any other vegetables may be added such as peppers or kale. The soup stock is best homemade as it increases the nutrient density and is a great way to get the most out of chicken or other bones. If you prefer vegetarian, you can collect the unused scraps of onions and veggies in a container in your freezer until you are ready to make a vegetable stock. See the "health" tab above for tips on how to stay healthy and boost your immune system.
Ingredients:
- 3 quarts (12 cups) chicken, vegetable or other meat stock
- sliced uncooked chicken breast or thighs if desired (or use a whole chicken and create the stock as the soup cooks)
- 5 cloves garlic (more or less to taste), peeled and chopped
- 1 -2 large onions, peeled and chopped
- 2 or more cups shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1-2 large sweet potatoes
- 2-4 carrots
- ginger, thumb-sized piece or larger – shredded with grater or sliced
- 2 cups green cabbage, slice or shred
- Tamari, miso and cayenne pepper, to taste
- Other fresh or dried spices such as oregano, thyme, to taste
- 1 can of coconut milk (optional)
Simmer chicken breasts in stock for 1 hour. Check periodically to make sure the water doesn’t boil away; add more water as necessary. During the last half-hour, add garlic, ginger onion(s), mushrooms, cabbage and sweet potatoes. Add spices if dried here (if fresh, add at the end). You can also add the carrots and cabbage now or wait for another 15 minutes. Add coconut milk and simmer for another 10 minutes without boiling. Remove from heat. Add tamari (or salt), miso, cayenne pepper and other fresh seasonings to the broth. A squeeze of fresh lemon or lime also tastes good right before serving.
A second option is to put it all in a crock pot until the chicken is well done. Enjoy. Cheers to your health!
Thai Coconut Soup - "Tom Kha Gai"
Source: Rachelle Price, ND
A traditional Thai coconut soup, called Tom Kha Gai, that far outdoes your basic chicken soup in flavor and quality. It is perfect for cold winter days and preventing colds and flus due to it's immune supportive qualities. Made with many fresh ingredients, this flavorful soup blends a combination of savory, spicy and sweet with a refreshing floral and citrus quality. Is naturally gluten, dairy and soy-free and can be easily adapted to be pescatarian (fish stock, shrimp instead of chicken) or vegan (veggie stock, tofu for chicken, tamari or soy sauce for fish sauce). Thai kitchen makes a fish sauce that is guaranteed gluten-free, though most fish sauces do not naturally contain gluten. Be sure to check this if you need to.There are many variations and this is the version I've adapted to after making it many times.
Note: Making the traditional soup may require a trip to an Asian grocery store but this recipe can be easily adapted to ingredients found in most anywhere (this is what I often do when I make it last minute). I do sometimes buy extra lemongrass, kafir lime leaves and galangal ahead of time and chop and freeze them separately for future use. They keep quite well.
Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk
2-3 cups chicken or other stock (see this link for a simple homemade broth recipe that is high in nutrients and minerals)
salt to taste
1-3 Tablespoons fish sauce (This really adds to the flavor of the soup and is pungent . I do omit it in a pinch if I don't have it. You'll need more salt though.)
2 stalks fresh lemongrass (if necessary, can substitute the juice of one lemon and some lemon and lime zest if possible)
3 red shallots, peeled and chunked (I often use any color onion instead)
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1-3 inch chunk of galangal root, chunked or minced (this makes the flavor but ginger is in the same family and can be substituted if necessary)
3-5 kaffir lime leaves, coarsely chopped (you can substitute the juice of one lime with a little of the zest if necessary)
1-2 cups chopped mushrooms (I often use shiitakes for their excellent immune supportive qualities)
1 Tablespoon lime juice (more if compensating - see notes above)
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut to 1" pieces (you can use breasts, but the thighs are moister and tastier). You can also use bone in chicken parts. It will just be a bit messier when you eat it.
1-4 dried birds eye chili peppers crushed or 1/2- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Use these to taste and note that the more crushed they are, the spicier the soup will taste. Also, the longer they cook or sit in the soup, the spicier it will be. Sometimes the leftovers taste hotter the next day after sitting in the soup all night.
1-3 Tablespoons honey
Optional veggies: chopped green beans, sliced carrots, sliced red or yellow peppers, red garnet yams, fresh basil
Optional serving suggestion: serve over white or brown jasmine rice (cook simultaneously or before making soup).
Directions:
1. Combine in a large pot: broth, galangal (or ginger), lemongrass (if using lemon save until step 4) and mushrooms. Boil for 10 minutes. (Make your rice at the same time if you'd like to serve the soup over rice)
2. Add: chicken, lime leaves (if using lime juice save until step 4), shallots (or onion), garlic and other optional veggies and stir occasionally until chicken is tenderly cooked.
3. Reduce to simmer and add: chili peppers or flakes and coconut milk. Do not boil at this point but just simmer for another 10 minutes to combine flavors. Add more chili pepper or flakes if needed and simmer for another few minutes to release their heat.
4. When you are ready to serve, turn off the heat. Add the honey, lime juice (and lemon if didn't use lemongrass earlier) and fish sauce (or salt to taste if needed) and stir well. If desired, add more of these things as needed to taste. You should be able to taste sweet, sour, salty and spicy together in a fragrant and complex flavor.
5. Top the soup off with chopped cilantro and serve by itself or over jasmine white or brown rice. Sometimes I like to use fresh chopped basil instead of or with the cilantro for a different but complementary flavor.
Photo Credit: Tom Kha Gai by Renée S. Suen, flickr
Source: Rachelle Price, ND
A traditional Thai coconut soup, called Tom Kha Gai, that far outdoes your basic chicken soup in flavor and quality. It is perfect for cold winter days and preventing colds and flus due to it's immune supportive qualities. Made with many fresh ingredients, this flavorful soup blends a combination of savory, spicy and sweet with a refreshing floral and citrus quality. Is naturally gluten, dairy and soy-free and can be easily adapted to be pescatarian (fish stock, shrimp instead of chicken) or vegan (veggie stock, tofu for chicken, tamari or soy sauce for fish sauce). Thai kitchen makes a fish sauce that is guaranteed gluten-free, though most fish sauces do not naturally contain gluten. Be sure to check this if you need to.There are many variations and this is the version I've adapted to after making it many times.
Note: Making the traditional soup may require a trip to an Asian grocery store but this recipe can be easily adapted to ingredients found in most anywhere (this is what I often do when I make it last minute). I do sometimes buy extra lemongrass, kafir lime leaves and galangal ahead of time and chop and freeze them separately for future use. They keep quite well.
Ingredients:
1 can coconut milk
2-3 cups chicken or other stock (see this link for a simple homemade broth recipe that is high in nutrients and minerals)
salt to taste
1-3 Tablespoons fish sauce (This really adds to the flavor of the soup and is pungent . I do omit it in a pinch if I don't have it. You'll need more salt though.)
2 stalks fresh lemongrass (if necessary, can substitute the juice of one lemon and some lemon and lime zest if possible)
3 red shallots, peeled and chunked (I often use any color onion instead)
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1-3 inch chunk of galangal root, chunked or minced (this makes the flavor but ginger is in the same family and can be substituted if necessary)
3-5 kaffir lime leaves, coarsely chopped (you can substitute the juice of one lime with a little of the zest if necessary)
1-2 cups chopped mushrooms (I often use shiitakes for their excellent immune supportive qualities)
1 Tablespoon lime juice (more if compensating - see notes above)
1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut to 1" pieces (you can use breasts, but the thighs are moister and tastier). You can also use bone in chicken parts. It will just be a bit messier when you eat it.
1-4 dried birds eye chili peppers crushed or 1/2- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Use these to taste and note that the more crushed they are, the spicier the soup will taste. Also, the longer they cook or sit in the soup, the spicier it will be. Sometimes the leftovers taste hotter the next day after sitting in the soup all night.
1-3 Tablespoons honey
Optional veggies: chopped green beans, sliced carrots, sliced red or yellow peppers, red garnet yams, fresh basil
Optional serving suggestion: serve over white or brown jasmine rice (cook simultaneously or before making soup).
Directions:
1. Combine in a large pot: broth, galangal (or ginger), lemongrass (if using lemon save until step 4) and mushrooms. Boil for 10 minutes. (Make your rice at the same time if you'd like to serve the soup over rice)
2. Add: chicken, lime leaves (if using lime juice save until step 4), shallots (or onion), garlic and other optional veggies and stir occasionally until chicken is tenderly cooked.
3. Reduce to simmer and add: chili peppers or flakes and coconut milk. Do not boil at this point but just simmer for another 10 minutes to combine flavors. Add more chili pepper or flakes if needed and simmer for another few minutes to release their heat.
4. When you are ready to serve, turn off the heat. Add the honey, lime juice (and lemon if didn't use lemongrass earlier) and fish sauce (or salt to taste if needed) and stir well. If desired, add more of these things as needed to taste. You should be able to taste sweet, sour, salty and spicy together in a fragrant and complex flavor.
5. Top the soup off with chopped cilantro and serve by itself or over jasmine white or brown rice. Sometimes I like to use fresh chopped basil instead of or with the cilantro for a different but complementary flavor.
Photo Credit: Tom Kha Gai by Renée S. Suen, flickr
Homemade Bone Broth
For hundreds of years, people have been making broth from the bones and leftover parts of animals. When vinegar is added while simmering, the broth becomes more medicinal as the acid releases minerals and proteins from within the bones and cartilage. This virtual liquid vitamin is especially beneficial for healing and nourishing the gastrointestinal tract, immune and musculoskeletal systems. Vegetables can be used instead to make a veggie broth for a soup base, though the medicinal profile is different.
Bone broth is an excellent source of protein and calcium. It is easy to digest and absorb and is helpful in treating digestive disorders such as IBS and the stomach flu. It's vitamins and nutrients help to boost the immune system and fight colds and flus. Because it is made of bones and cartilage, it builds and nourishes joints and cartilage, and helps to heal fractures and other musculoskeletal disorders. I have recommended bone broths to patients with food allergies, autoimmune conditions, maldigestion, colic, leaky gut syndrome, malnutrition, colds, flus and more.
Try this simple recipe for homemade bone broth!
Ingredients:
Bones—from poultry, beef, lamb, fish or shellfish. Use the cooked remnants of a previous meal, with or without skin and meat , raw bones (which can be heated first in the oven for increased flavor) or bones purchased from your local butcher or grocer. You can use an entire carcass from a chicken for example, or just parts (good choices include feet, ribs, necks and knuckles)
Vegetables—peelings, ends, tops and skins or entire vegetables may be used celery, carrots, onions, garlic and parsley are most traditional, but any will do
if added towards the end of cooking, mineral content will be higher. Tip: store the tips and peelings of your veggies that you may normally discard, onion and garlic skins etc. in a freezer bag until they accumulate and you are ready to make a broth.
Vinegar—any type, 2 tablespoons per 1 quart water
Water—Filtered water to cover
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel pot or pressure cooker. Bring to a boil and remove any scum that has risen to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 6–24 hours (3-12 hours if using a pressure cooker). To reduce cooking time, smash or cut bones into small pieces before cooking. If desired, add vegetables in last half hour of cooking. Strain through a colander or sieve lined with cheesecloth for a clearer broth. If uncooked meat was used to start with, reserve the meat for soup or salads.
If you wish to remove the fat, use a gravy separator while the broth is warm or skim the fat off the top once refrigerated. Cold broth will gel when sufficient gelatin is present. Broth may be frozen for months or kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days.
Uses:
Dilute as a base for making soup. Use broth in place of water to cook grains or beans. Simply add salt or miso and sip the broth like tea. This is especially nice in the winter or if you’re feeling sick. It stores well in the freezer - divide into containers with the amount that you will use when you make a soup for example.
photo credit: theMaykaznie, Flickr
For hundreds of years, people have been making broth from the bones and leftover parts of animals. When vinegar is added while simmering, the broth becomes more medicinal as the acid releases minerals and proteins from within the bones and cartilage. This virtual liquid vitamin is especially beneficial for healing and nourishing the gastrointestinal tract, immune and musculoskeletal systems. Vegetables can be used instead to make a veggie broth for a soup base, though the medicinal profile is different.
Bone broth is an excellent source of protein and calcium. It is easy to digest and absorb and is helpful in treating digestive disorders such as IBS and the stomach flu. It's vitamins and nutrients help to boost the immune system and fight colds and flus. Because it is made of bones and cartilage, it builds and nourishes joints and cartilage, and helps to heal fractures and other musculoskeletal disorders. I have recommended bone broths to patients with food allergies, autoimmune conditions, maldigestion, colic, leaky gut syndrome, malnutrition, colds, flus and more.
Try this simple recipe for homemade bone broth!
Ingredients:
Bones—from poultry, beef, lamb, fish or shellfish. Use the cooked remnants of a previous meal, with or without skin and meat , raw bones (which can be heated first in the oven for increased flavor) or bones purchased from your local butcher or grocer. You can use an entire carcass from a chicken for example, or just parts (good choices include feet, ribs, necks and knuckles)
Vegetables—peelings, ends, tops and skins or entire vegetables may be used celery, carrots, onions, garlic and parsley are most traditional, but any will do
if added towards the end of cooking, mineral content will be higher. Tip: store the tips and peelings of your veggies that you may normally discard, onion and garlic skins etc. in a freezer bag until they accumulate and you are ready to make a broth.
Vinegar—any type, 2 tablespoons per 1 quart water
Water—Filtered water to cover
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel pot or pressure cooker. Bring to a boil and remove any scum that has risen to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 6–24 hours (3-12 hours if using a pressure cooker). To reduce cooking time, smash or cut bones into small pieces before cooking. If desired, add vegetables in last half hour of cooking. Strain through a colander or sieve lined with cheesecloth for a clearer broth. If uncooked meat was used to start with, reserve the meat for soup or salads.
If you wish to remove the fat, use a gravy separator while the broth is warm or skim the fat off the top once refrigerated. Cold broth will gel when sufficient gelatin is present. Broth may be frozen for months or kept in the refrigerator for about 5 days.
Uses:
Dilute as a base for making soup. Use broth in place of water to cook grains or beans. Simply add salt or miso and sip the broth like tea. This is especially nice in the winter or if you’re feeling sick. It stores well in the freezer - divide into containers with the amount that you will use when you make a soup for example.
photo credit: theMaykaznie, Flickr