Ayurvedic Chicken Noodle Soup

Your favorite soup made with Ayurvedic ingredients all under 30 minutes.

Serves: 6-8 people

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Total time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

Soup:

6 medium carrots, chopped

6-7 stocks of celery, chopped

2 chicken breasts

1 box Jovial Cassava Orzo Pasta

1 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp Kitchari Spice Mix

1-2 tsp dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1-2 inches of ginger, sliced

2 tbsp Better Than Bouillon (you can also use broth/stock)

6 cups water

1 can coconut Milk

salt & pepper to taste

Garnish:

Lemon/lime

Fresh herbs--parsley, cilantro, dill, etc

Directions:

1. Heat large pot over medium heat on stove-top, add ghee, Kitchari spice mix, and thyme. Sauté until fragrant, add carrots and celery. Add a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add whole chicken breasts, bay leaf, sliced ginger, Better Than Bouillon, 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce temp to medium-low heat & cover for 10-15 minutes.

3. Half-way through add box of Orzo pasta.

4. Turn off heat and using the two fork method, shred chicken.

5. Add coconut milk (do not miss this step!) and fresh herbs.

6. Serve with lemon or lime. Salt & pepper to taste.

Anytime someone in my family comes down with the sniffles I whip out this soup. Why is it "Ayurvedic" and not just a regular soup you grew up eating?

-First off, we skip the onions and garlic which are known to be Rajasic and Tamasic, respectively. Rajas, Tamas, and Sattva are the 3 subtle gunas known as the Maha Gunas. These affect our energetic bodies and our conscious. Rajasic foods can make us irritable, agitated, and overheated. Tamasic foods can make us over-stimulated, lethargic, and increase anxiety. Onion and garlic are medicinal foods and should be treated as such with medicinal doses.

-Second, adding in Kitchari spice instead of the usually heating herbs, offsets the heat that builds in the body during certain illnesses. As our immune system ramps up to fight off any bugs, so does our temperature. Kitchari spice helps aid in digestion and herbs like fennel and coriander having a cool quality (guna). Coconut milk is also cooling but not overly heavy or difficult to digest like dairy can be.

-Third, fresh ginger has what is called a Prabhava or special effect. During the digestive process, fresh ginger is pungent, enkindling agni (digestive fire). Afterwards, fresh ginger's Vipaka or post-digestive effect is sweet. This has a overall cooling affect on the body without dampening our agni in the process. Consider this a "best friend" of herbs as it is indicated for everyone, even those fiery Pittas!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Be sure to tag me on Instagram @samastaayurveda with the hashtag #2023makeyourfood as we continue focusing on making our own food, from scratch, and made with love this January.

Happy cooking! Namaste