The Noble Pagan Forums - A soup that heals..

I'm a new member and thought I would jump in with a recipe. This is my own recipe and was pasted from my personal blog.

Why is chicken soup supposed to be good for a cold and congestion? Not only have I done research, I've experimented and found a fantastic recipe.Chicken soup is good for what ails you in the area of cold and congestion because it contains the amino acid N-Acetyl Cysteine, among loads of other healing ingredients (depending on what you put in the soup). Acetylcysteine is in chicken, and has been used for years to treat bronchitis. It thins mucus in the lungs.

Toss in some other healing ingredients and what you have is a soup that heals. And here is my recipe along with explanations of why each ingredient works to relieve cold symptoms: (it's also yummy)

The Soup
*Chicken stock (you can buy chicken broth or make your own).

Since I usually make my own, here is how I do it: I used to use bone-in chicken breasts (leaving the skin on because there is a school of thought that the acetylcysteine is actually in the chicken skin) but a few years ago I experimented using one of the rotisserie chickens from the store, so now I use one of those (depending on how pressed I am for time).

If you use raw chicken: Place chicken in pot, cover the chicken completely with water, bring to a full boil for about 10 minutes, then turn the heat down on med-high and let it cook for at least 50 minutes. If the water evaporates too quickly, turn the heat down to med-low, making sure you've cooked it for at least 25 minutes on med-high. Cook in an open pot because you are not just 'stewing a chicken', you are making stock, therefore it needs to cook down a bit.

Using a rotisserie chicken: make sure you buy the traditional flavored and not the kind with extra flavorings like barbecue or Teriyaki. Leave skin on.

Dismember* the chicken - (*I read way to much about serial killers) Place in pot and follow directions above for raw chicken.

So now you have chicken stock. You can either:

*Chop the boiled chicken meat up (discard the bones) and use it in the soup or feed the meat to your cats or whatever. I don't like chicken in my chicken soup, only the broth, because when I am sick it almost always involves a sore throat, and I drink the broth of the soup (very hot) from a cup and I don't like drinking lumps.

What to add to the chicken stock: for every 3 cups stock add: (you should really make a large pot of this because the medicinal effects only last around 30 minutes).

*3 cloves of Garlic (Garlic contains allicin, which is one of the BEST germ killers in the world, Garlic also thins mucus)

*5 fresh Basil leaves (Basil is an antiseptic and also reduces inflammation)

*2 or 3 slices fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried Ginger root (anti-inflammatory, use SPARINGLY if you are pregnant because it stimulates uterine contractions and thins the blood)

1 tablespoon fresh or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried:

*Dillweed (anti-bacterial)

*Parsley (anti-microbial, also reduces the smell of the garlic you will be sweating out of your pores)

*Thyme (antiseptic, was used in ancient hospitals as a disinfectant)

*Marjoram (expectorant)

*Chervil (anti-inflammatory)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring to full boil then reduce heat and cook for at a slow rolling boil for around 20 minutes. Drink or eat as hot as you can stand it. Repeat every 30 minutes.

Disclaimer: If you have any serious health concerns..you should always check with your doctor before self-administering herbs.

__________________
"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." ~Sarah Williams.

You rock! I'm going to try this ASAP and I'll let you know how much I either A) Screw it up or B) Give into its glory.

Thank you Macha!! I am sure you will not screw it up. I hope you enjoy the soup.