Golden Healing Chicken Soup

It's true.  Grandma knew it all along.  Chicken soup is one of the most healing foods out there.  Cultures around the world have known this for centuries. It's truly the best food you can eat when you're sick, stressed, just had a baby or medical procedure, or simply to warm up and feel cozy on a cold or rainy night. 

Wouldn't it just be so nice to have this soul hug of a meal in your freezer, waiting for you when you come home from a long day, or just when you need to feel taken care of?

There are so many delicious variations of chicken soup to choose from, but this one is extra special for the following reasons:

• Ease - Honestly meal prepping or making this cant get much easier. All you have to do is chop a few things and add to a freezer safe container (here & here are my faves), or add straight to the instant pot and then the work gets done for you while you prep your favorite toppings. And when it comes to making soup exciting, it's ALL ABOUT THE TOPPINGS.

This chicken soup is full of immune boosting, gut supportive nutrients, healthy fats, ample protein and antioxidant rich vegetables.

• Health - Bone broth is a big reason why this soup is so nourishing. It's full of gut-healing amino acids, collagen, minerals and nutrients in their most bioavailable form. Its also easy to digest and extremely nourishing and supportive. Here you can find some great info on bone broth. I make my own in my Instant Pot and always stock my kitchen with great store bought brands as well. You can find many good pasture raised bone broths available online and at grocery stores. Some of my favorites are Bare Bones, Kettle & Fire and Epic.

Let's not forget about taste - It HAS to be delicious for me to even consider eating it, feeding it to my family or recommending it. I love how this variation is totally different from the OG classic chicken soup (still great but I like variety). The brightness of the lime and fish sauce with the freshness of the basil and mint and the spice of the chilis just check all the boxes for me. I’m pretty confident it will for you too!

If you're looking for more freezer friendly meals, check out these absolutely killer Pickled Ginger Salmon Burgers, and our beloved Maple Dijon Beef Stew!

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Golden Healing Chicken Soup

Yield: 6

Author: Marissa Mather

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 50 Min

This bright and comforting chicken soup is packed with flavor and healing nutrients.

Ingredients

Freeze Together:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric (optional)
• Juice of 3 limes or about ¼ cup

Add to Instant Pot day-of

• 6 cups chicken bone broth
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce or coconut aminos

Optional Garnishes

• toasted crushed peanuts
• 3 cups baby spinach
• lime
• fresh basil, mint and cilantro

Instructions

1. From frozen, add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
2. When the timer goes off, let the steam natural release for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the chicken and shred/ cut into bite-sized pieces, set aside.
4. With the broth and veggies still in the pot, set the Instant Pot to saute and add 1 cup of jasmine rice. Let rice cook for about 15 minutes or until done.
5. Add chicken back to the pot, plus 1 tbsp of either fish sauce, soy sauce or coconut aminos. Stir to combine.
6. Serve with toppings of choice. Here we added 3 cups of fresh baby spinach (wilted in the soup for 1-2 minutes), toasted crushed peanuts, pickled chili, and a generous amount of fresh basil, mint, and cilantro plus more lime.

Instant Pot Maple Dijon Beef Stew

Do you ever wish there was a recipe that was super easy, quick to make, full of vegetables and gut supportive fiber and protein while also being satisfying and delicious? Well, I have the recipe for you! This maple dijon beef stew only takes a few minutes of chopping veggies and opening a can, and the rest of the work is done for you in the instant pot.

It's also extremely freezer friendly (watch this video to see how) and a great thing to gift friends whether they are sick, just had a baby or are experiencing something super stressful in their lives and need some soul warming, gut health optimized, bomb ass food.

It's one of those chop and drop meals that is so hands off you kinda can't believe it's that easy.

Why Grass-Fed Beef is Better:

Beef often gets a bad wrap, but meat from grass-fed cows has many health supportive nutrients and fats as well as being a great source of protein. When animals are eating the diets they are supposed to, their meat is more nutrient dense. For example, grass fed beef has a higher percentage of CLA (conjugated linoleic Acid) and omega 3 fatty acids and less inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids, when compared to conventional grain fed beef(1). To be exact, “Depending on the breed of cow, grass-fed beef contains between 2 and 5 times more omega-3s than grain-fed beef"(2). That's why it’s important to source good quality, organic grass-fed beef whenever possible.

You can now find grass fed beef at a lot of grocery stores or you can get monthly delivery through companies like Butcher Box.

The Nutritional Magic of Alliums, Celery, Carrots & Fennel:

Onion, Garlic and Leeks are all part of the allium family along with many others such as chives, shallots and scallions. Alliums are a potent source of macronutrients, phytonutrients and fiber. Some of the more notable phytonutrients found in alliums are the sulfuric compounds which give them their characteristic taste and smell, as well as quercetin, anthocyanins, and polyphenols. These nutrients have anticancer, antimicrobial, antibiotic, and anti-asthmatic properties (3).

Alliums are a great source of inulin and fructans, which are types of prebiotic fiber. Prebiotic fibers help feed and promote the growth of beneficial microbes in the gut that make up a healthy microbiome(3). Prebiotic fiber can also be fermented into SCFA's (small chain fatty acids). SCFA's play a major role in colon health, have anti-inflammatory effects, are beneficial towards digestive disorders and help metabolize fat and carbohydrates. They even help regulate blood sugar and support heart health (4). Adding a variety of alliums to as many meals as possible is a great way to get more gut supportive prebiotics.

Fennel is great source of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, vitamin c, fiber, and folate, as well as minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, calcium and magnesium and iron.

Fennel is another highly underrated veggie in my opinion. When raw it has an anise (black licorice) crunchy bite, however when roasted it becomes caramelized and sweet. It's delicious shaved raw in salads, pickled or braised. It's super versatile and can easily be added in most places that celery or onion would be (like soups, stews, salads, etc).

Celery contains phenolic phytonutrients that are specifically supportive of the digestive tract.

Celery is so underrated! It rarely has the spotlight in recipes, usually just a background crunchy texture in salads (like this delicious tuna salad or chicken salad) or in a mirepoix for stews and soups. However, it can be a star all on its own! I love to juice it, and add it to as many recipes as I can. It is an amazing source of anti-inflammatory antioxidants like vitamin C, flavonoids, beta carotene and manganese as well as phenolic phytonutrients that are specifically supportive of the digestive tract. It's also a great source of Vitamin K, folate, potassium and gut supportive fiber.

Carrots are most well known for being a potent source of beta carotene, which is actually named after them. They are also a rich source of many other antioxidants that are associated with bone health, cardiovascular support, eye health and cancer protection.

The only other ingredients are dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce. The dijon and maple make this beef stew recipe stand out a little from the classic, while providing some great depth and flavor. I like to finish my stew with some fresh herbs (parsley, dill or chives) and a big dollop of cultured sour cream mixed with lemon juice and whole grain mustard for serving. It's a beautiful and comforting dinner that is such a crowd pleaser!

Healthy Freezer Meal: Instant Pot Maple Dijon Beef Stewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQRNKXTbdno

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Instant Pot Maple Dijon Beef Stew

Yield: 6

Author: Marissa Mather, inspired by Pinch of Yum

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 50 Mininactive time: 50 MinTotal time: 1 H & 49 M

This maple dijon beef stew is not only healthy, but fantastically delicious. It can be made in an Instant Pot or slow cooker. Get all the meal prep done ahead of time and toss it in the freezer for an easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. pasture raised beef stew meat (If not already cut into chunks, cut into 1-2 inch chunks.)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 leeks, sliced in half moons
• 6 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
• 6 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
• 1 bulb fennel, diced
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce, or 2 cups

Add after cooking:

• 2 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

1. From frozen, add to Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. When timer goes off, let the Instant Pot natural release for 10 minutes.
2. Carefully open the Instant Pot lid and switch to saute mode. Add the arrowroot or cornstarch slurry and cook, stirring regularly, for a few minutes until the stew has slightly thickened.
3. Garnish with toppings of your choice! Here we did fresh dill & parsley and a dollap of sour cream mixed with whole grain mustard and lemon. Yum!

Slow Cooker Instructions

1. From thawed, add to slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours.
2. When done, add arrowroot or cornstarch slurry and allow to thicken for 30 minutes.
3. Garnish with toppings of your choice! Here we did fresh dill & parsley and a dollap of sour cream mixed with whole grain mustard and lemon.

Notes:

Note that the cook time for the Instant Pot and slow cooker versions of these recipes are quite different! Plan accordingly.

For freezer meal prep: The ingredients for this recipe are fairly bulky. I find that it's best to split them up between two 7 cup glass containers prior to freezing. You may also want to store in silicone freezer bags.

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