For those of us that eat meat, the ultimate cure for when you’re not feeling well has to be chicken soup. Very basic in its nature, this homemade remedy is steaming hot and full of vitamins to boost your immune system and get you feeling well again.

As a home cook, I always have the ingredients for this soup on hand, and they can vary based on the season or what’s in the fridge. Here’s one recipe I was able to throw together based on some freezer and fridge items:

• frozen turkey stock (from our Christmas turkey)
• fresh carrots, celery onion, chopped fresh kale
• frozen cooked chicken breast from (?) who knows…

The basics: 

• In a large pot, sauté your chopped onion, carrot and celery in a little grass-fed butter and olive oil, in the meantime unthaw the stock and allow it to simmer in a separate saucepan. You want the stock to be hot when you add it to the vegetables, otherwise you will significantly lower the temperature of the vegetables and cook time will be much longer.
• When the vegetables are slightly tender, and the onion is translucent, carefully add the hot stock to the vegetables. Allow to simmer until the veggies are tender.
• If you are using frozen cooked chicken, now would be the time to add it. Allow it to completely unthaw, then remove it and shred it into bite-size pieces. Re-add it to the hot soup. Add the fresh chopped kale. Allow to simmer until the kale is tender.

It is really that simple. No matter the weather, or your sickness, if you have a few simple ingredients on hand – you can make some delicious soup and you’ll be back on your feet in no time.

 

• eat well, live well.