So this week I’ve been fighting off a pretty bad cold and was looking everywhere for help. From Mucinex to Alka Seltzer Cold and Flu to a Neti Pot… I was desperate. I’d tried a few things, but none of them seemed to work. One of my friends had recommended that I try and take some lysine supplements from Quantum Health (https://quantumhealth.com/shop/product/super-lysine-tablets-advanced-formula-lysine) to see if that helped my immune system to feel stronger. I thought that was quite a good idea, especially since the immune system is the one that fights the cold. That’s something I’m thinking about. But first, I wanted to talk to someone who might have some useful advice. That’s where my mom came in. Whenever I talk to her about a problem, she solves it. So, I wonder why I never approach her first. I suppose it’s just me being obstinate. Hopefully I grow out of that soon.

I called my mom, while shopping for some OTC meds to stop this craziness. “Why haven’t you made soup yet?” she asked me. “Soup,” I thought, “Right!” So I pulled my butt right out of the Walmart Neighborhood Market (which I shouldn’t have been in anyway because I hate Walmart) and headed to the nearest Sprouts. She had me grab ingredients from there, scaring me because I’m not the best cook. … Fast-forward to a couple hours later and I just finished the best bowl of soup I’ve ever had. Not only was it tasty, but it made me feel 100x better. It helped with my sinuses and general well-being. I am not even exaggerating. It was so great! And did I mention it’s gluten free? (Disclaimer: Maltrodextrin may contain wheat. You can substitute the bouillon with gluten free broth if you’re weary!)

I’d? recommend this soup if you’re sick. It’s a definitely cold-buster. I’d even recommend it if you were healthy; it’s so good! This recipe is picky, healthy boyfriend approved.

This was taken after half of the soup was devoured…

Difficulty: easy

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

???? 1 Sweet Onion, diced (It might look like a lot of onion, but trust me, it will be fine!)
???? A couple tbsp of oil (I used olive oil)

???? 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced or diced?

???? 2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 2 in. chunks

???? 4 stalks of celery, remove strings on outside and thinly slice diagonally?

???? 2 lbs boneless chicken, skin removed (I used tenders because they were on sale at Sprouts!)

???? 1 tsp of thyme (I omitted because I didn’t have any)

???? 1 cup chopped parsley (I had to use 1 tbsp of dried!.. Because I accidentally grabbed cilantro.)

???? 1 tsp. for every 1 cup of water of Better Than Bullion (or safer GF option as directed)

???? 1/2 tsp cayenne (this was enough for me! I’d say it was medium spice level)

???? Kosher Salt (I used sea salt; take it easy on the salt) and freshly ground black pepper?

???? 8 small red potatoes, washed and quartered (I prefer cutting in 8ths)

???? 2 cups kale, can omit completely or substitute any other veggie

Directions

Prepare vegetables as directed.

Add a couple tbsp oil to a large pot (dutch oven suggested). Heat over med-high heat. Add chicken and brown lightly. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery and brown until onions are translucent. Season with salt, pepper and other spices. Again, light on the salt! Add cold water and chicken stock (etc) to cover (6-8 cups)* Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer.

Simmer about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Add the potatoes and kale. Cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes (took me 30; had to turn up the heat a little, too). Remove from heat.

Enjoy!

*If I were to go back and make this again, I would have started with a bigger pot and more water! My boyfriend really loved the broth and by the time he was on his second bowl, we were lacking in the broth section. Don’t forget that once you add enough water to cover, potatoes and possibly veggies will be going in later! So I would take that into consideration when adding water.?

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I will be coming back to this recipe soon!