Immune-Boosting Chicken and Quinoa Soup

This soup is comfort in a pot — my go-to when my girls were little and under the weather. The chicken, quinoa, and veggies make it hearty enough for supper but soothing enough for tender tummies. Enjoyed fresh, it’s low histamine and mostly low FODMAP (though garlic, onion, and too much celery can be tricky). The magic is in the herbs and the love you stir in — it’s a healing hug in a bowl.

Adapt It Your Way: skip garlic/onion for low FODMAP; eat fresh to keep histamine low.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoon garlic infused extra-virgin olive oil or ghee
• 1 medium onion, chopped – if low fodmap use 4 green onions tops only. 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or low -fodmap omit this step.
• 3 medium carrots, chopped in small rounds
• 1 cup chopped oyster mushrooms or canned chapignon mushrooms are Lowfodmap
• 1 large bay leaf
• 4 cups Chicken Bone Broth or Vegetable Broth – low fodmap broths only to prevent digestive distress
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken*
• Sea salt (to taste)
• Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup cooked quinoa or white rice or short-grain brown rice or black rice – if avoiding grains omit & add 1 cup of yellow squash
• 2 tablespoons miso diluted in ¼ cup water or broth – make sure miso has no added ingredients
• 3 tablespoons hijiki sea vegetable, hydrated in 1 cup water
• 4 to 6 lemon wedges
• Several sprigs of fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons chopped parsley to garnish

Substitutions

*If meat free, omit the chicken,

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the garlic infused olive oil or ghee. Add the green onions, (if you are eating fresh garlic), carrots,  mushrooms, 1 cup of yellow squash (optional) and bay leaf. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened but not browned.
2. Add the broth and water and bring to a low boil, then bring down to a simmer.
3. Add the chicken; season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the lemon zest. Stir in the cooked quinoa.
4. Add the diluted miso paste to the soup, and stir. Hydrate the hijiki in 1 cup of water and rinse. Add the hijiki to the soup just before serving. Squeeze a lemon wedge over each serving to brighten up the soup and garnish with parsley.