The weather is slowly changing here in Perth.
The days are shorter, greyer.
I am constantly growling at little humans with bare feet or arms to put their slippers or cardigans back on.
Cheeks come inside flushed pink from the wind.
And then come the sniffles. Then the coughs in the cold night air.
So I nurture and tend. Provide extra blankets and warm honey and lemon drinks, and read aloud good books, and make fresh nutritious foods.
And what could be more nurturing and comforting than a hot soup to fill tummies back to health?
This is my recipe for easy chicken noodle soup. I’m no chef, but I don’t need to be, to know that this is just simple, good food.
You could use shredded chicken breast you have pre-prepared, but for our Sunday afternoon it was easier to swing through the local IGA and buy a hot barbecue chook on the way home. You can also use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Parsnip and potato both work perfectly.
The coconut oil is a powerful immune support – the fatty acids in it is known to kill certain viruses and bacteria. Fresh ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, garlic is an immune booster (antibacterial and antiviral) and a pot full of nutrients from veggies cannot help but be good for a cold-fighting body. And parsley is an excellent source of Vitamin C. I used what I had on hand, but you could add whatever vegetables you like – I love parsnip in a soup.
Plus, it’s warm and comforting and tastes incredible.
Easy peasy cold-fighting, nurturing soup
2 generous tbsp coconut oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
fresh grated ginger to taste (I used about 1-2 teaspoons)
1 large brown onion
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 litre of home made (or store-bought) chicken stock, and then enough water to cover the ingredients well
1 x BBQ chicken, shredded (keep the carcass to make your home made stock for next time!)
dried egg noodles (optional)
2 tbsp fresh parsley to serve
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat oil in a saucepan until hot, and add garlic, onion, ginger, carrots and celery and cook stirring for about 5 minutes and onion has softened.
Add stock and up to an extra litre of water to cover all your ingredients and create a tasty broth, and bring to the boil (covered), and then remove lid and let simmer.
Add shredded chicken and noodles if using and simmer until noodles are soft.
Serve topped with fresh parsley, salt and pepper.
This fed us for lunch, and yes, dinner too.
Keep those little (and bigger) bodies well-nurtured my friends.
x