Chicken Soup for the Body Too!

For centuries, broths have been revered for their restorative properties, and science has finally caught up with folk wisdom. Laboratory testing has revealed anti-inflammatory properties in chicken broth, explaining why it soothes sore throats and eases the misery of colds and flu. Broths also limit the production of mucous, which causes the discomforts of coughs and stuffy noses.

Good broth is a balance of technique and recipe. It should have flavour,
body, and an appealing aroma - signs of a hearty, healing soup.

Ingredients:
Bones from one chicken
2 carrots
2 chicken feet or wings
2 celery stalks
1 large onion

Special Tips:

• Add wings or feet to the pot to create a healthy, dense broth. Gelatin found in these ingredients is rich in amino acids, and a restorative protein for your bones, skin, digestive tract, immune system, heart, and muscles
• Use organic vegetables in your broth. Boiling, even for hours, will not remove pesticides.
• Submerge the ingredients completely in purified water to dramatically heighten the flavour and healthiness of your stock.
  Chlorine and dissolved mineral salts in tap water can impart unwanted flavours to your broth, and do not benefit your body.

Putting It Together:

• Place chicken into a roasting pan with onions and carrots.
• Roast over high heat (450°F) until browned, and place ingredients into the stockpot.
• Pour off any fat, but carefully preserve the pan juices.
• Deglaze the pan by adding one cup of hot water and scraping up any bits that remain.
• Add all of these “juices” to the pot.
• Start stock in 1 - 1.5 litres of cold water and heat gently to a boil to ensure that proteins in the bones and meat will have time to rise to the surface.
• Skim this, and any large deposits of fat. As water evaporates, replace with fresh cold water.
• Add your flavouring ingredients including celery and aromatic herbs such as peppercorn, bay leaf, parsley and thyme. You may also add ginger, hot peppers or garlic - all well-known curatives for the common cold.
• Allow the stock to simmer for at least three hours. This will release maximum amount of calcium and other nutrients from the bones.

So remember, while Chicken Soup may be good for the soul, it provides much needed nutrients to the body too. A well-fed immune system is your best bet for warding off winter bugs.