BODY BOOSTER CHICKEN SOUP

It's that time of year when every second person you talk to is sniffling and complaining about their awful cold, while your standing there thinking - keep your distance people I don't want to get sick! Well here's a soup recipe that is so nourishing you can almost feel it instantly boosting your immune system. 

Garlic, ginger, turmeric and mushrooms are 4 of the most pungent foods when it comes to the immune system with their amazing anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The base of the soup is a stock (or even better a bone broth if you have some) which helps to increase our fluid intake and make sure we're not experiencing dehydration, as well as the enormous list of benefits if you go with a bone broth. As always there's the addition of plenty of different coloured vegetables for an anti-oxidant boost and some protein from the chicken which is also important for our immune health.   

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1L water
1 L good quality chicken stock/ (or 500ml bone broth + 500ml stock)   
3 cloves garlic, squashed
1 tbsp grated/finely chopped ginger
 ¼ teaspoon turmeric
2 x Organic chicken breast cut into 2cm pieces
½ cup Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 Carrot, julienned
2 bunches Bok choy, trimmed and washed
 ¼ cup tamari
 ¼ cup mirin (optional)
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar (optional)  
1 x long red chilli, finely sliced (optional for those that like it hot)
2 handfuls bean sprouts
1 handful coriander
2 x spring onion, sliced finely
80g Vermicelli noodles

Directions:

Heat a large pot over low heat and add the water, stock, garlic, ginger, turmeric and chicken until simmering. Add the shiitake mushrooms and carrot and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. In the last 2 minutes add the bok choy. Meanwhile, place the vermicelli noodles into a bowl and cover with boiling water. When soft, drain and set aside.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the tamari, mirin, and rice wine vinegar and stir to combine. Serve into bowls and divide the noodles into each one. Top each bowl with chilli, bean sprouts, coriander and spring onion.