It
is that time again! There is an upper respiratory virus going around
that is kicking butt and taking names! However we do have a defense.
This dish has been engineered to be medicinal as well as have an
excellent taste.
For
thousands of years a steaming bowl of chicken soup has proven
valuable for freeing the sinuses and fighting the grip we refer to as
“flu”. This week I have been instructed to create the best and
most efficient dish for this endeavor. Whither you need to stop the
aches, are just beginning to think you might live through this, or
just out camping in your “Bambi” and heating a good stew to cure
“your spots”, this will help you feel better!
Ingredients:
1 lbs thin sliced
chicken thighs
8 oz. loose pork sausage
1 medium
yellow onion
3 cloves
garlic minced
1 28oz. can stewed
tomatoes (un-drained)
1 15oz. can navy
(cannellini) beans, rinsed & drained
3 cups chicken stock
½ cup shredded carrots
salt & pepper to
taste
8 oz. Baby spinach -
rough chop.
Directions:
Do
your cutting first always.
Cut
up the onion in a medium bowl, mince the garlic into a small bowl Lay
out the rinsed spinach and run a pizza cutter through it a couple of
times, just to rough chop it.
Rinse
the beans and drain.
In
a dutch oven, heat 2 tbs olive oil and brown the bone-less, skinless
chicken thighs. This take only about 6 minutes per side. You will
know when to turn the pieces when they release from the pan.
Remove
and add the half pound of sausage. Stir this as it cooks for about 7
to 8 minutes.
Add
in the onions and stir. By now there will be a coating on the bottom
of the pan (frond). Loosen this with about ½ a cup of chicken broth.
(deglaze) that way you keep all the wonderful flavor and have an easy
to clean pan! Let the onions cook for about 7 minutes adding the
garlic during the last minute.
Now,
by handfuls, add the spinach as you stir it in. A big handful will
wilt down to almost nothing right before your eyes. Take your time
with this, if you add it all at once you will end up with a mess all
over the stove.
Once
that is wilted, pour in the tomatoes and the drained beans. Sprinkle
the carrots and cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Top
off with the rest of the chicken stock or broth and let simmer for at
least 45 minutes.
For
maximum effect serve in bowl that you hold your face over and breathe
in the healing vapors!
Allow
any left-overs to cool before storing in refrigerator. It will taste
even better reheated!
Music:
Hope
you all feel better!
Socialslave
To
satisfy and restore.
To
nourish, support and maintain.
To
gratify, spoil, comfort and please,
to
nurture, assist, and sustain
…..I
cook!
Why
this dish heals!
The
steam from the hot soup opens up stuffy nasal passages and the hot
broth is soothing to a sore throat. The nourishment from the chicken
and vegetables provides energy and is easy to digest. The heat from
the soup raises your internal body temperature slightly, warming you
to the core.
The
cooked chicken releases the amino acid cysteine which helps to
loosen mucous in the lungs and nasal passages making it easier for
you to cough it out and to blow your nose. Carrots contain
beta carotene that can be converted to vitamin A. Carrots also have
antiseptic properties. Garlic fights viruses and bacteria.
Onions contain the flavonoid quercetin, which has antioxidant
and antihistamine properties. They also contain properties that help
fight infections.
Cooking
tomatoes appears to increase the availability of key nutrients
such as the caroteinoids lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Stewed
tomatoes provide considerably more lutein and zeaxanthin than sun
dried tomatoes and raw cherry tomatoes.
According
to the researchers, lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that is 10
times more potent than vitamin E.
Spinach
is a virtuous source of Vitamins A, C, E, K and even a few B vitamins
too. Spinach also offers up proteins to support the body and
strengthen overall function of bodily organs.
Cannellini
beans have a detoxifying effect on the body thanks to their high
molybdenum content. (a trace element that plays an essential role by
stimulating the action of detoxifying enzymes).
They
contain an enzyme that catalyses “sulfites”- that can cause
wheezing or shortness of breath - into “sulfates”- which are
non-toxic.
Yes
even the sausage can be considered healthy:
sausage
provides vitamin B-12, a nutrient important for healthy red blood
cells. Vitamin B-12 allows you to make hemoglobin, the protein your
blood needs to transport oxygen. Consuming enough B-12 also helps you
metabolize fats and protein, plays a role in brain function and
protects you from the nerve damage that can result from vitamin B-12
deficiency.
So
don't forget your daily dose:
Cleansing.
“Plenty of fluids” is often advised when you’re ill. A body
full of attacking viruses needs to be flushed in order to get
healthy. To that effect, the abundant broth in chicken soup performs
aptly.
Disinfecting.
Chicken soup is fairly salty even with lower-sodium versions, so that
when it goes down your throat it acts in much the same way as
gargling warm salt water. In other words, it removes bacteria in the
throat, mouth, and tonsils.
Clears
sinuses. Much like other warm liquids (for example, tea), it can
help to clear the sinuses with steam.
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