Winter Wellness
Winter has definitely settled in here in the Pacific Northwest, and unfortunately, the flu seems to be making the rounds. If you’re anything like me—and committed to wellness and natural healing—boosting your immunity is probably high on your priority list. Right up there with… getting ready for tax season.
As I’ve been celebrating the return of the light and quietly hoping for spring, I also realized that the anniversary of my massage career in Washington State is today! I’m celebrating 27 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist (although I did take some time out for my master’s degree).
That got me reflecting on where my healing work really began. Long before massage school or certifications, it started in my great-grandmother’s kitchen in Bluemont, Virginia.
Along with folk medicine, she made big, steaming pots of chicken noodle soup that we’d portion into those opaque, square plastic containers and tuck into the freezer. When spring came around, she’d hand me a digging stick and send me outside with instructions to come back with sassafras root. Those simple, loving rituals planted the seeds for my lifelong love of herbalism and medicine-making.
So today, I wanted to share one of my favorite winter staples—a simple, nourishing chicken soup—along with a few ideas for staying warm and healthy this season.
Essie’s Chicken Soup (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 roasted chicken seasoned with garlic, thyme, and rosemary
(or grab a seasoned precooked chicken from the grocery store—no judgment!)
1 lemon
1 finger of ginger or galangal
Egg noodles (optional, but cozy)
2 stalks of celery
2 large carrots
1 onion
1 whole bulb of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place the roasted chicken in a stockpot and add enough water to just cover it. Heat on medium and cook for about 30–40 minutes. You want a gentle simmer—not a rolling boil.
While the chicken is cooking:
Zest the lemon and squeeze the juice; set both aside.
Slice the ginger into little “coins.”
Peel and slice or crush the garlic.
Chop the carrots, celery, and onion.
Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil or good-quality butter in a sauté pan. Add the onion, celery, and half of the garlic, and sauté until everything smells amazing and starts to soften.
Once the chicken is falling off the bone and the broth has turned a lovely golden color, carefully remove the carcass with tongs and a slotted spoon (watch for little bones!) and set it aside to cool.
Add the sautéed veggies to the broth, along with the remaining garlic, ginger, lemon zest, and strained lemon juice (to keep seeds out of the soup).
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat from the bones and add it back into the pot—again, keeping an eye out for sneaky little bones.
If you’re using egg noodles, add them now and cook for another 10–15 minutes, until they’re tender.
This is hands-down my family’s favorite thing to eat when someone isn’t feeling great. I usually serve it with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole-grain bread—because sometimes comfort food just knows what we need.
If you’re looking for another immune-supporting classic, here’s a link to my favorite Fire Cider recipes. My go-to versions are from Rosemary Gladstar.
And in case you’re tracking winter like the rest of us…
Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow this year. ❄️