What is the most comforting food when you have a cold – I think Chicken soup gets a unanimous vote on this one. Every family has their own way of preparing this warm comforting soup , I found this recipe on the internet and I have tried several others but this one really stuck, firstly it is a very simple recipe – who wants to spend hours making soup when you are feeling low, secondly it uses a unique combination of vegetables especially meant for faster recovery…..i love it and it TRULY WORKS.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH VEGGIES

INGREDIENTS
2 cup cooked, diced chicken(Supplies zinc; a University of Michigan study shows that the mineral can reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold.)
½ cup chopped carrots (Beta-carotene in the carrots helps make immune-system cells better at fighting off infection.)
½ cup chopped celery (Celery contains a large amount of vitamin C which may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced(Onions and garlic are potent antivirals. “Compounds in garlic and onions are readily passed to the lungs and respiratory tract, where they can be most effective against cold viruses,” says James Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy.)
1 cup enriched egg noodles(They’re a good source of selenium; too little selenium makes it easier for the cold virus to multiply and mutate.)
1 red bell pepper, chopped (Peppers are packed with salicylates–the active ingredient in aspirin.)
*2 tsp cayenne pepper (Supplies more salicylates, and the heat acts as a decongestant.)
SERVES
8 – (1 cup servings)
PREP TIME
8- 10 minutes
COOK TIME
40 – 45 minutes
DIRECTIONS
Pour 8 cups of water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, and boil for half an hour or until the carrots are tender. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

COMMENTS
The recipe asks for pre-cooked chicken but I have almost always just cut raw chicken in small pieces and put them in the boiling water and let it cook for about 5-8 minutes before I put the carrots and onions.
Also, I have used whole wheat spaghetti or even whole wheat elbow pasta on occasion and it has come out to be equally tasty
*I have made this soup for my daughter every time she has had a cold for the past three years, just skipped the cayenne pepper and instead added ½ tsp of black pepper.
RECOMMENDED SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
I happen to be a proud owner of a “ Pressure cooker” – it is big pot with a lid which is locked when ready to cook, The food is cooked by the steam under pressure inside the pot. This reduces cooking time drastically. It is most useful for cooking stews, soups, beans etc.
If you own this, please use it for this soup coz it takes only 10 minutes in the pressure cooker on medium heat for the soup to fully cook and the chicken is way more tender and soft.