Dec 21, 2016

Comfort food: do you have one?

I truly believe that food is so much more than the nutrients it provides our bodies. Food is symbolic, it represents our culture, it helps create traditions (think about this holiday season, what are you waiting to eat, what food makes it feel like the holidays?) We enjoy the company of family and friends around food and drinks, and we eat comfort foods for nostalgic reasons (these comfort foods usually hold some type of meaning to us or remind of us of childhood memories or potentially people we love). Most importantly, comfort foods just make us feel really good.

My comfort food is soup, usually with some type of homemade chicken broth base. My nonna (grandma) and mom make the best chicken broth in the world (well at least I think so). The second I have a spoonful of this broth I instantly feel comforted. My mom use to make it for me whenever I didn't feel well, whenever I came home from university for visits, or whenever I missed home. I think all of these memories is what makes it comfort food, the soup was there when I needed to feel better or whenever I felt home sick. Soup makes me feel at home, it is truly my comfort food. With the winter months approaching, it also makes for one of my favourite healthy meals. You can make all sorts of different hearty soups that are loaded with nutrients and of course lots of veggies. Stay tuned for blog posts that feature easy soup recipes throughout our cold Canadian winter months!

Do you have a food that makes you feel good? That reminds you of people you love or makes you feel at home?

My nonna (and moms and now my) simple yet amazing chicken broth recipe:

Ingredients:

Water (big pot full ~ 3-4L, depends your pot size)

Chicken pieces (with bones are best for flavour, something like thighs and drumsticks anywhere from 500g -800g) or you can use a whole small chicken

3 white onions, peeled and whole

4 carrots, peeled and whole

4 celery stalks, whole

1 bay leaf

Salt to taste

Directions:

On high heat warm the large pot of water with chicken pieces and bring to a boil. When it begins to boil start to skim off the foam layer on the top (this is caused by the chicken fat). Continue to do this using a spoon or small strainer until most of the foam is gone. Once it's clean, add your onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, salt to taste and any other spices you might desire.

Simmer covered on low heat for 2-3 hours. The longer the simmer the more the flavour develops.

Side note: usually when I am making this broth I shred the chicken, cut the carrots, celery and onion and make a delicious chicken noodle soup. You can also add any type of vegetable you might like.

Side note 2: this recipe makes a big batch of broth, so you can freeze it and use any other time you make soup or need broth for a recipe.