Fresh herbs are a great way to add flavour to a recipe. This recipe is delicious and healthy and rich in natural flavours and can be adapted to your own tastes and preferences. Fresh herbs can be expensive to purchase so starting a little herb garden is a great way to save money and have the freshest produce available. Even if you only have a small space you can keep pots with an array of herbs available year round.
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil (or other stable cooking oil like avocado)
Brown onion, diced
Local (if you can get it), fresh garlic
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, ends trimmed and diced
Any additional vegetables you'd like to use
8 cups good-quality stock
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh sage
4 whole chicken thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup loosely-packed chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup loosely-packed chopped fresh basil (optional)
METHOD
Fill a pot or slow cooker with the stock.
In a large pan, add the oil over medium heat and saute the onion, garlic, until the onion is tender and then add to the slow cooker (or pot).
Add carrots, celery and any other vegetables you want, sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until the carrots are softened a bit, stirring occasionally. Add this to the slow cooker or pot.
Fry the chicken in a pan until it starts to lose its pink colour and then add to the stock and vegetables.
Add in the whole rosemary, bay leaf, stripped thyme and whole sage and let the soup cook for 5-6 hours on low (can cook up to 8).
When you are about to serve the soup pull the stalks of the woody herbs out and shed the chicken (it should fall apart).
Add in the soft herbs - cheopped parsley and basil.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF HERBS
Rosemary - boosts the immune system and improve blood circulation. Enhancing memory and concentration. Protects against macular degeneration
Thyme - antibacterial, insecticidal, and possibly antifungal properties and is used for guarding against infection and speeding up healing. It is excellent for respiratory health and makes a grgeat cough suppressant! It tones and strengthens heart muscles and stimulates the circulatory system.
Sage - used for digestive problems, including loss of appetite, gas (flatulence), stomach pain (gastritis), diarrhea, bloating, and heartburn. It is also used for reducing overproduction of perspiration and saliva; and for depression, memory loss, and Alzheimer's disease.
Parsley - aids in balancing blood sugar, preventing the degenerative effects of diabetes on the liver, can reduce the risk of cancers such as breast, digestive tract, skin and prostate, improves your immune function, protect your blood vessels and treats inflammation.
Basil - may help prevent certain types of skin, liver, oral, and lung cancers.It reduces inflammation and swelling andhas antibacterial properties; this may be because of the volatile oils it contains, which include estragole, linalool, cineole, eugenol, sabinene, myrcene, and limonene.
References:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266370.php
