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Congee Soup

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Healing recipes warm chicken congee

Chicken congee is a traditional Chinese recipe for the indisposed.Health benefits
• Soothes stomach upsets 
• Helps maintain energy levels
Congee is a soothing, nourishing food for anyone convalescing from gastric upsets or  recovering from exhaustion and illness. This Chinese dish is traditionally made by  gently simmering rice and water on the  lowest possible heat for up to 6 hours, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking. This recipe is an adaptation of the original and cooks in half the time or less.
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 6 hrs
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients
  

  • 1 organic free range chicken, about 1.5kg  3 lb 3 oz
  • 200 grams 7oz long grain or basmati brown rice
  • 5 cm 2in piece of fresh root ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp tamari soy sauce 
  • 1 tbsp sesame seed oil toasted sesame seed oil is fine
  • Chopped veggies of your choice 
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions, to garnish
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves, to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken, rice,and ginger in a large heavy based saucepan with a lid.Cover the ingredients with water and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until the chicken meat is falling off the bone and the rice is soft. Add the vegetables about an hour into cooking. Add more water if necessary during cooking to prevent the congee from boiling dry.Congee should have a thick soup like consistency.
    Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the chicken to a plate, and carefully remove the bones and skin. Shred the chicken meat and return it to the pan. Add the tamari soy sauce, sesame oil, sea salt and black pepper to taste, stir to combine. Divide the congee between 4 serving bowls, garnish with the spring onions and coriander leaves, serve.
    (Adapted from Neal’s'Yard'Healing'Foods' (Dorling&Kindersley)
Keyword Congee, Healing, Healthy, Main Meal

Detox Soup – Autumn Immune

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Detox Soup – Autumn Immune

Use organic or local produce from a farmers market, where possible. 
When you are on a cleansing diet it is ideal to be consuming organic produce. 
You want to be avoiding any unnecessary  toxins both in your food and in your environment during your detox.
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Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Course Soup
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil, coconut oil or ghee
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large leek, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots,peeled and chopped
  • 2 turnips or celeriac, peeled and diced
  • 1 small or 1/4 of a medium head of cabbage, core removed and sliced thinly (about 2cups)
  • 3 cups butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed
  • 8-10 cups water
  • 3 roma tomatoes,  with seeds and skin,  diced
  • 2 cups cooked adzuki/berlotti or cannellini beans (ideally dry, soaked overnight)* or anybeans or legumes of your choice
  • 1 bunch of kale, spinach or endive, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
  • 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • Pink Himalayan or sea salt and cracked pepper,to taste
  • Fresh herbs; rosemary and oregano, or whateveryou like

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the onion, leek, celery  and garlic.  Cook until veggies are opaque, stirring often.Add in the carrots, turnips, celeriac, cabbage, pumpkin and fresh herbs. Cook  for about 5-7 minutes. Stirring often.
  • Add  water,  tomatoes and beans, increase to medium-high heat and bring to a light boil then reduce temperature, cover and simmer the  soup over a low heat for 30-45 minutes. The  longer it simmers, the better and more intense the flavour will be. Season with salt  and pepper,  to taste.  Add any additional herbs or spices you would  like.
    Just before serving add the kale and the apple cider vinegar. Stir well and serve

Notes

* Dried beans which have been soaked overnight are ideal.  Canned are fine (BPA free),  although dry is ideal during a  detox to minimize toxins.
Keyword Soups

Chicken Bone Broth

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Chicken Bone Broth

Bone broths are extremely healing, soothing, nutritious, and easily digestible for the body. The health giving elements include being high in:
minerals
cartilage
marrow
electrolytes (from vegetables)
gelatin
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Course Soup
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 1 organic chicken carcass (Whole chicken can be used)
  • 3.75 litres  filtered water
  • 2 tbsp tablespoons apple cider vinegar helps leech the minerals from the bones into the stock
  • 3 celery sticks coarsely chopped
  • 2 carrots coarsely chopped
  • 1 large onion coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsb Himalayan or sea salt

Instructions
 

  • For the best results, the broth should be cooked for between 6 & 24 hours, however it’s best to make quick broths ie: 1-2 hours or even better 8 hours+ in a slow cooker than not to have any at all. 
    Slow cookers are excellent as you can virtually set and forget. Not that I’d recommend that, but you can put it on in the morning before work or evening (anytime), and literally leave it all day or night. Just be sure to put plenty of water into the slow cooker.
  • Slow Cooker directions
    Place chicken in slow cooker with water and vinegar, salt and all the vegetables. Turn on slow cooker and put onto high. 
    The longer the broth is left, the richer it will become in healing properties. It will also become more flavorsome. If you are cooking it beyond 8 hours, be sure to check on it once in a while to ensure there is plenty of water in it.
    I’ll often leave the broth simmering for between 6 – 24 hours with all the carcass and vegetables in it, and use it as a stock base. 
  • Stove top directions
    Place chicken in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar, salt and all the vegetables (other than the parsley). Bring to the boil and remove the scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours.
  • Remove the vegetables and chicken carcass. Allow the chicken to cool and remove the meat from the carcass (refrigerate and use it in other meals e.g. curries, sandwiches, salads etc). Discard the vegetables.
    Return the bones to the broth and continue to simmer for 6 to 24 hours – the longer you cook the broth, the richer and more flavorsome it will become.
    Make sure you are at home while it is simmering. If you need to go out, turn the stovetop off and begin simmering again when you return home.
  • Once the broth is cooked
    When you’re ready, the carcass and vegetables can be discarded and strained so it’s clear. You can drink the broth as is or it can be stored in sterilized, sealed mason jars in the fridge or pyrex containers in the freezer.
    I generally leave the carcass and veggies in it and use some for meals. I’ll add different veggies or condiments to a portion of it each evening for dinner. For example, I may add some mushrooms, tomato, potato and zucchini with parsley and oregano for an italian style soup. I’ll use pumpkin, potato and zucchini with moroccan herbs or bok choi, shitake mushrooms, snow peas, coriander, lemongrass, sesame oil and lime for an asian flavour. Tahini can also be added for a richer, creamier flavour and it adds a good hit of protein and calcium. Be creative and add the flavours you enjoy. 
    Ensure you add more vegetables and some protein if you are having the broth as the base for a soup to make if more hearty. Meat, chicken (I’ll often add some chicken wings or chops to the broth and remove the flesh once cooked to add to my soup), legumes such as beans and/or lentils and tahini,
    You can also store the broth to use as a stock base for other dishes.
  • Aim to have at least 1-2 serves of broth per day.
    For more detailed information regarding the benefits of bone broth and more traditional methods see:
    http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/broth-is-beautiful/ 

Notes

Based on Two Cups Per Serve

Stracciatella – Italian Egg & Parmesan broth

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Stracciatella – Italian Egg & Parmesan broth

Enjoy! This is simple, quick, easy and delicious!
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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Course Appetizer, Soup
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tsp organic chicken stock
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 1 cup lightly packed spinach leaves, cut in thin strips  optional
  • 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan optional
  • Handful snow peas – cut in thin strips optional
  • Add any vegetables or fresh herbs that you have on hand
  • Add a can (BPA free) of organic chickpeas or canellini beans to make it a more robust soup
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Bring the water and stock to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Add chopped veggies into the soup (if you’re adding any) in order of the length of time required to cook them. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add chopped veggies into the soup (if you’re adding any) in order of the length of time required to cook them. 
  • Stir the broth in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin strands of egg. Stir in the parsley, any other herbs and parmesan (if adding), then season the soup, to taste, with salt and pepper.
  • Ladle into bowls and serve.
Keyword Soup

Fragrant Vietnamese Chicken Soup

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Fragrant Vietnamese Chicken Soup

VEGETABLES: Add as many as you like- Asian veggies work really well
This soup freezes really well. Just leave out the bean sprouts.
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Course Main Course, Soup
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1.6 kg whole organic chicken
  • 2 white onions finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves (optional)
  • 5cm knob piece ginger finely chopped
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 Cardamon Pods
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 medium sized chili chopped (optional)
  • 2 tsp Himalayan or sea salt (to taste)
  • ½ sliced Chinese cabbage (these can replace noodles or you can use 300gm brown rice noodles
  • 200 grams bean sprouts
  • 1 cup coriander, thai basil and/or mint leaves
  • 2 Carrots – julienned (cut lengthwise like match sticks)
  • 1 Zucchini – finely chopped
  • 1 bunch baby bok choy, trimmed and leaves separated or spinach or any greens
  • 1 Capsicum – red or green – finely sliced
  • 1 Broccoli – finely slice stalk and cut up the little florets
  • 1 cup Green beans
  • 1 cup Snow peas – finely sliced
  • ½ cup Mushrooms – variety
  • Lime wedges to serve

Instructions
 

  • 1. Rinse chicken and add to pot with 2 litres of water (enough to cover)
    2. Bring to boil, skim scum from top
    3. Add onions, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise & salt. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, remove chicken and set aside.
    4. Place on heat (simmer) and add veggies, add the ones that take longer to cook first then the others.
    5. Remove chicken flesh and finely slice
    6. If including noodles, cover rice noodles with hot water to cook, strain
    7. Add noodles into soup, along with sliced chicken.
    8. Top each serve with been sprouts, coriander, mint, basil, chili and lime.
    This soup freezes really well. Just leave out the bean sprouts.