I love knowing why things are good for me; I imagine the strengthening properties with every sip or bite. Chicken Vegetable Soup is a natural 'feel good' remedy we've turned to for centuries. Here's why...

Bone minerals - Chicken Bones release nutrient dense minerals that are easily assimilated and digested through the boiling process.

Salt & Water - replenish liquids and electrolytes. Water helps 'flush' the system aiding in the elimination of toxins. Salt acts as an antibacterial, cleansing the throat and mouth. Use Celtic or Himalayan Pink.

Mucus stimulation & Detoxification - The Amino Acid Cysteine found in Chicken helps break up mucus in the lungs and nasal passages helping us breathe better. Cysteine furthermore produces a metabolite that activates the production of Glutathione which is one of our body's most important antioxidants and detoxifiers which guard against toxins and build up our immune systems.

Soothing Heat - Hot liquids help soothe a sore throat, raise our body's core temperature and clear the nasal passages aiding in breathing.

Onion & Garlic - Antibacterial, anti inflammatory, antihistamine.

Carrots & Celery - Vitamins A, B & C. Antiseptic properties. Anti inflammatory, protection against free radicals. Immune system support.

Parsley - Rich in immune boosting Vitamins and protection against free radicals.

Apple Cider Vinegar - Antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal. Helps pull nutrients from bones into broth. Hippocrates in 400BC was a fan!

Turmeric - Antiinflammatory, anti Alzheimers and anti Cancer (look it up). Use in conjunction with Black Pepper to boost its effects.

Organic Ingredients: Serves 8-10

Stock Ingredients

• 1 Whole Pastured Chicken

• 1 Large Onion, peeled & quartered

• 1 Tsp. each Ground Spices: Turmeric, Paprika, Black Pepper

• 2 Tbsps. Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1 Tsp. Cetlic Sea Salt

• 8 Cups Water

Soup Ingredients

• 1 Large Onion, peeled & diced as small as you can

• 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes

• 5 Celery Sticks, diced into small cubes

• 5 Carrots, diced into small rounds

• 2 Cups, chopped Green Beans (1 inch pieces)

• 1 Zuchini, cut into 1/4 inch rounds then halved and halved again into quarters

• 5 Tomatoes, you can use round Salad Tomatoes, or Romas, boiled, skinned then diced

• 3 Cloves Garlic, peeled & crushed in a pestle and mortar to a paste

• 2 Tbsps. Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1 Tbsp. Celtic Sea Salt

• 1 Tsp. Cracked Black Pepper

• 3 Tbsps. finely chopped Parsley (flat leaf, no stems)

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil for cooking

Method
Make the Stock (1.5 hours) - See “Stock Ingredients”
Place Chicken in a stainless steel pot with Onion. Add Turmeric, Black Pepper, Paprika,  Apple Cider Vinegar &  a good amount of  Sea Salt. Add 8 Cups of cold drinking Water. Bring to a boil. Remove Chicken Scum from the top of the pot using a spoon. Lower to a simmer, cover and leave to bubble away for 1.5 hours. Switch heat off, let sit for another 20 minutes in the pot. Remove Chicken from Stock and allow to cool. Remove Skin & Bones and chop Chicken into small pieces. Sift the Chicken Stock with a strainer into a large bowl, discarding the Onions. Place some of the Chicken Meat in an air tight container and refrigerate to use for tomorrow's lunch.

Cook the Vegetables (70 minutes) 
In the same pot you made the stock in, pan fry in Olive Oil on medium high heat, Onion, Celery, Potatoes, Carrots and Sea Salt, cook for about 5 minutes. Add Garlic and cook for another minute before adding in the Chicken Stock, Tomato and 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar. Bring to a boil; leave to boil vigorously for two minutes while the flavor of the Vinegar dissipates. Cover and simmer on low heat for 40 minutes. Add Green Beans & Zuchinni and cook for a further 30 minutes. Add Chicken Meat, Parsley, Sea Salt & Black Pepper stir, adjust seasoning to taste, cook for 5 minutes more and enjoy. Serve/devour with love and a proud sense of accomplishment.

Notes:

1) Short Cuts
Between the Stock making and the Vegetable prep. this Soup takes a long time to make. You can cut it short by making the Stock the night before and refrigerating. Once refrigerated, the Chicken Fat rises to the top of the liquid creating a jelly like substance which you can spoon away the next day and discard. 

2) Alternatively, you can incorporate the two steps together (1.5 hours total cooking time)
Pan fry the Vegetables in Olive Oil and half a teaspoon of the following spices (Organic Turmeric, Organic Paprika, Organic Cinnamon, Sea Salt and Black Pepper) add 8 cups of cold drinking Water and a Whole Chicken thats been cut into 8 pieces on the bone and Tomato. Bring to a boil, add 2 tablespoons of White Wine Vinegar & some Sea Salt. Cover and simmer for an hour on low heat removing any Chicken Scum that rises with a spoon. Once cooked,  remove Chicken pieces from Soup and break away the Meat from the Bones discarding the Bones. Add in Zuchinni and Green Beans and cook for a further 30 minutes. Add in Chicken Meat, Season with Sea Salt & Pepper and finish with Parsley. 

3) After all that work, be sure to freeze a few portions for next time you're feeling a little under the weather.