Nourishing After....

   After the darkness, after the pain there must be nourishing. It is no secret I suffer with terrible migraines; have my whole life. Wise and wonderful doctors have graced me with knowledge along the way...recognizing early symptoms, avoiding triggers, even natural and conventional treatments. No matter how we try, sometimes, they happen anyway.
   After the pain is eased and the effects subsided, there must be nourishing. For me, nourishing is best found in the form of chicken soup...not just any soup though, an herbal, bone broth, veggie stocked cleansing soup. Two different recipes have been given me my different health advisers; my recipe combines the two and tweaks it to my needs.
   This weekend's migraine lasted three days..not my record, but a long one nonetheless. Thankfully, my children started the chicken during my 'dark time' making it easier for me to toss it together when I was ready for it.
   I can't stress enough the blessing of freezing/canning your own stock; you just can't buy it! Personally, I cook for stock 24 hours..12 with meat/12 with bones and juices; this way all the nourishing goodness is pulled into the broth. Once drained, I freeze broth for future use (freezing some of the meat for emergency meals).
   As far as vegetables..we use what's on hand..soup is flexible and our tastes can vary (not to mention garden availability). Sometimes it has tons of veggies; sometimes only a few..but in abundance. Herbs...if fresh are available, they are preferred, but since I dry my herbs for winter, I use them when I don't have fresh or I don't want to slosh through the mud to get some (smile).

NOURISHING CHICKEN SOUP

Broth:

1 whole bird, skinned and washed

8 cups water (or enough to cover bird in pot)

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 onion

5 garlic cloves, smashed

2 chilies (fresh or dried)

Place all ingredients in a stock pot (or crock pot) and cover. Simmer 12 hours- low and slow. Remove the bird- take the meat off the bones and refrigerate until needed. Place the bones back in the stock pot and simmer 12 more hours..skimming if needed.

The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it is. 

After 24 hours, strain through a fine mesh sieve (or cheese cloth), discarding bones/veggies. 

Either freeze the stock in quart containers or place it in a large pot and make soup.

Soup:

Broth from above (fresh or thawed)

4 onions, coarsely chopped

8 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 celery stocks, coarsely chopped

2-4 zucchinis, thick sliced

1 small head broccoli, coarsely chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 inch of ginger, grated

2-4 tablespoons sea salt

2-4 teaspoons crushed red pepper

small bunch basil, rosemary, sage and oregano

a large bunch of thyme

chicken meat from earlier cooking

fresh parsley (to top at serving)

In a stock pot, simmer all ingredients (except the meat parsley) until veggies are fork tender. Stir in meat just to warm..adding parsley at serving time. 

This soup freezes well in serving portions or quarts.

   We have been eating this soup for several years now; when recovering from illness, detoxing after heavy meals (or seasonally), and after a nasty migraine. It is a blessing to us..I hope it is a blessing to you. Now, off to enjoy a little nourishing..after... :)