Immunity Soup!


I really like how the flavors layered in this, making for a delicious soup from the first day. I used a variety of DIY and premade ingredients, as you'll see; note that you have to start at least a day before you want to eat it if you're using my idea of cooking your beans yourself – in which case you'll end up with a lovely lot of extra beans to use in other recipes. (Note: If you don't have an electric pressure cooker, just adapt to a big pot.)


Cover with 3" of water in your electric pressure cooker container and leave covered with a plate or lid overnight:
         about 1 pound dried chickpeas/garbanzo beans

The next day, say at lunchtime if you're home (at least an hour or two before you need to start the actual soup), drain the beans.
Cover them in the same container with
         about 1.5" of water
Add
         about 1 tbl olive oil
         a big bunch of fresh sage leaves, torn up if they're big
         a few cloves of garlic, at least some minced, all peeled
         (NO salt yet)
Cook in an electric pressure cooker (in an Instant Pot at High pressure, set for 17 minutes). Turn off after the timer goes off. Let sit until pressure goes down (note that often takes 45 minutes for me with these).
Add
         about 1 tsp salt.
You'll only need 2 cups of the cooked beans, in about 1/3 or ½ cup of their broth, for the soup; put them in the refrigerator if it will be a while until you need them and package up the rest for the fridge and/or freezer for whatever you want to use them for.

About 1 or more hours before you want to eat the soup:
Saute in 2 tbl olive oil in a big soup pot
         12 oz frozen seasoning blend (e.g. onions, celery, sweet peppers; or you may prefer one with carrots instead of sweet peppers; also, you can use up to 16 oz)
Add soonish
         about 10 big garlic cloves, minced
Then add and continue to saute about 5 minutes
         12 to 16 oz cleaned sliced Portabello mushrooms with D (for immunity)
Add
         your 2 cups of cooked chickpeas with about 1/3-1/2 cup broth
         1 lb boneless skinless chicken cut up into medium chunks
Stir in
         2 liters normal Pacific Chicken Stock (including salt)
         a generous amount of dried thyme
         6 bay leaves
         about ¾ tsp chili flakes
Simmer until chicken is done, about 20 minutes (test a big piece with a thermometer for 165).
Meanwhile sort through/clean your kale.

Add
         12 oz curly kale, already cleaned and cut up
Cook until pretty done, about 10 minutes.

Taste. Add salt as needed.

Enjoy right away, with a nice whole grain roll to round off the meal, and freeze leftovers for when you or a loved one needs some extra immunity!

Wishing you and yours a very healthy season!


Very adapted from the same-name recipe in the January-February 2017 issue of Cooking Light magazine.