Healing Chicken Soup

This Chicken soup recipe is not only delicious but also very therapeutic as it contains all the beneficial ingredients in helping the healing process especially during cough and cold. It's one of my family's favorite dish that can be taken with rice or baguette. Hope you'll enjoy it.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken - cut into 12 parts, skin removed

4 large red onions

2 green chillies

6 cloves of garlic

1 1/2 inch ginger

2 tbspn black peppercorns

2 tbspn cumin powder

1 tspn tumeric powder

2 tbspn soup powder

2 litres of water

3 potatoes- skin peeled and cut into quarters

2 carrots- cut into cube

some sea salt to taste

2 of each; cardamon spice, cloves and star anise

some olive oil for frying

Garnish:

a handful of chopped Chinese parsley and spring onions 

some fried red onions (optional)

Methods;

1) Blend 3 large onions, green chillies, ginger, black peppercorns, the cumin powder and tumeric powder into a thick paste.

2) Slice the remaining onion and set aside. Heat some olive oil into a cooking pot and add the sliced onion and the spices and fry till fragrant. Then add the soup paste and fry further for about 3-4 minutes.

3) Add in the water and leave to boil. Once the water is boiling, add the chicken parts into the soup and the sea salt. Add in the potatoes and carrots 3-4 minutes later and cook till the meat is tender and the potatoes and carrots are done. Turn off the heat and garnish with the chopped parsley and spring onions when serve. 

Chicken Soup heals.

Down through the ages, homemade chicken soup has been valued and appreciated for its

soothing and healing qualities when it comes to colds and the flu. I decided to investigate what it is about chicken soup that makes the ailing patient feel better, so I reviewed several studies, including the pioneering work by Stephen Rennard, MD at the University of Nebraska. All the research agrees that chicken soup helps break up congestion and eases the flow of nasal secretions. Many say it also inhibits white blood cells that trigger the inflammatory response, causing sore throats and the production of phlegm. Chicken also contains an amino acid called cysteine that is released when you make the soup. This amino acid thins mucus in the lungs, aiding in the healing process.

When combined with nutrient rich veggies, homemade chicken soup can definitely help the healing process in those who fall prey to colds or the flu!

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/021260.html##ixzz3DarkkkTh

Nadia's Easy Banana Nut Muffins

Did you that that banana muffins can improve your kids' moods?

Bananas can improve your kid’s moods because they convert the tryptophan (an amino acid) that is inside of bananas to serotonin. Make banana muffins and you have a way to keep your kid’s spirits high. - See more at: http://www.livinghealthymom.com/healthy-muffins/banana-muffin/#sthash.f9M0nfaR.dpuf

I'm going to share with you Banana Nut Muffin recipe which is super easy, delicious and healthy as compared to normal muffins as I replaced white sugar to brown sugar. Happy Trying!!

Duration in preparation: About 1/2 hour

Makes  24 small cups.

Ingredients

4 large over-ripe bananas 

200 gm self-raising flour

200 gm butter

200 gm soft brown sugar

1 tspn bicarbonate soda

2 eggs

1 tspn vanilla essence

200 gm macadamia nuts halves

Methods:

1) Preheat the oven at 180 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

2) When butter has melted, add in the brown sugar and stir continuously till the sugar has dissolved and leave to cool for a while.

3) Sieve the flour together with the bicarbonate soda and set aside. Mash the bananas well. Pour the melted butter and sugar mixture over the mashed bananas and mix well using a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and vanilla essence. Lastly, add the flour and the macadamia nuts and stir till it formed smooth batter. 

4) Pour into muffin cups about 3/4 full and bake for about 15-20 minutes till the muffins turn golden brown. Serve with tea/warm milk. Enjoy!