Near Death Experiences + Supercharged Chicken Soup

Sometimes life unfolds in ways that you never anticipate. It can nudge you gently on the arm or it can come at you with the full force of a sledgehammer.  Three weeks ago was one of those sledgehammer moments. I was involved in a horrifying car accident and NDE (you can read more about it here if you wish.) 

It was the day that fate stepped in, and a miracle happened. I'll share from the heart my near death experience and brush with the afterlife in an upcoming blog. But with that being said, I'm extremely grateful to have survived an experience so intense and out of this world. The kind of experience that pushes you to rethink your place on earth. 

Fortunately for me I've been given a second chance to be able to continue to be of service, and carry on my mission of helping people feel healthy and well through recipes, gut health products and clinical nutrition. I'd love to share a new recipe with you today.

I've been making this recipe over the last couple of weeks whilst I'm in healing mode. It's calming for the nervous system, (hello PTSD nightmares!) and souper delicious.

Call me souperstitious but if you’re feeling out of stock and need a nourishing hug in a bowl, you really can’t go past this homemade chicken soup. It feels like a medicinal elixir for the body, and it’s so crammed full of healing ingredients. You can also keep it in your freezer for midweek meals which is what I've been doing.

I'd love for you to try it this weekend and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Supercharged Chicken Soup 

Ingredients 

Serves 4

• 6 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1 onion peeled and chopped
• 1 whole leek sliced
• 3 stalks celery thinly sliced
• 2 litres of vegetable stock
• 1 whole organic chicken
• 1/2 butternut pumpkin diced
• 5 carrots peeled and diced
• 1 sweet potato diced
• 1 swede diced
• 1 whole small broccoli chopped into small florets

AROMATICS

• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh Rosemary optional
• 1 bay leaf

Method

Combine garlic, onion, leek and celery in a deep stock pot with olive oil 

Fry on a low heat until browned and the onions are translucent

Pour vegetable stock into pot then add the whole organic chicken 

Season with salt and pepper and add your aromatics (I used fresh thyme, Rosemary and a bay leaf )

Cook on medium until stock has come to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 60 minutes (remember to keep stock pot lid on).

After 60 minutes remove the whole chicken and  remove the skin and bones . Remove the chicken meat by gently shredding with a fork and place back into the stock pot. Add all the chopped vegetables,  stir and simmer for another 60 minutes. (Keeping the lid on). 

Serve in wide-mouthed bowls or let cool and pack into freezer containers and freeze until ready to use.