Rainy Day Chicken Noodle Immunity Soup (or Chicken-less for all my Veg-friends!)

Everyone knows how comforting a nice warm bowl of chicken noodle soup can be on a cold, rainy or snowy day. But there aren’t too many of us who realize just how much health and immunity boosting power one homemade bowl-full can truly hold! Fresh carrots, celery, potatoes, and spinach are loaded with essentials vitamins and antioxidants.  And many scientists believe the components in onions and garlic, called allyl sulfides and bioflavonoids, can actually work to lower incidence of cancer and heart disease in people who consume large amounts of garlic and onions, compared with those who eat less. Onion extracts are recognized by the World Health Organization for providing relief in the treatment of coughs, colds, asthma, and bronchitis. They also help decrease bronchial spasms, and have been found to decrease allergy-induced bronchial constriction in asthma patients. Garlic is a good source of vitamins A, B and C, as well as minerals such as selenium, iron and calcium. Garlic was long used as an antibiotic before the advent of penicillin, and is also an antibacterial infection fighter. It may even help prevent colds as well!

Here’s a few links to learn more: Leo Galland M.D. via HuffPost, Vegetarianism and Vegetarian Nutrition, Live Strong: Health Benefits of Potatoes, Onions, and Garlic  

Hungry yet?

Me too!

You’ll find my favorite recipe below.

 Rainy Day Chicken Noodle Immunity Soup (or Chicken-less for all my Veg-friends!)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup diced celery

1 ½ cups sliced carrots

1 medium sized onion, diced

3 cloves diced garlic (use more or less according to taste)

1 to 1 ½ medium sized potatoes, diced

1 handful fresh spinach leaves, rinsed and chopped

About 6 ounces or half a bag of wide egg noodles

12 cups chicken or vegetable broth (or 12 cups water with 9 teaspoons chicken flavor bouillon granules or cubes added)

1 heaping tablespoon poultry seasoning (equivalent to one teaspoon each of Thyme, Sage, Marjoram, Rosemary, and a pinch of Black Pepper, and Nutmeg) (You may also choose to use less seasoning, like 1 or 2 teaspoons, according to taste. I prefer a lot since it adds the illusion of a real roast chicken flavor to the vegetarian version. My kids never notice the difference!)  

2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with a little water to dissolve

Parsley and Black Pepper to taste

*For the meat eaters: add 3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken

*For the vegetarians: add 1 can of great northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot at medium-high heat, then add celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent. Pour in broth or water with bouillon. *Add chicken now if using. Now add seasoning and potatoes and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover with lid, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add noodles, spinach, *beans, and cornstarch mixture to the pot, stirring well to combine.  Add parsley for color. Replace lid and simmer for another 10 minutes or until noodles are soft. Add ground black pepper to taste.

Let cool for a few minutes uncovered, then ladle hot soup into serving bowls.

Tastes delicious with warm crusty bread or crackers.

Enjoy!    

(FYI: Leftovers store well in the fridge or freezer!)