Soup Recipes to Build you Up while COVID19 has Got you Down (2024)

The Covid19 pandemic sweeps the world, and we hunker down at home with the family, to prevent the spread of this virulent new strain of Coronavirus. We’re told to stock up on food and medicine in preparation for the long-haul of isolation…with our kids, as schools and workplaces close. We’re asked to prepare for the possibility of treating flu-like respiratory illness, coughing, fever and achy-ness at home. We’re all duly concerned, but worry and panic are a waste of energy that could be put to productive preparation, and necessary magick. What is on my witchy covid-prepper grocery list? Just like a long line of christian mothers before me, I’m stocking up on ingredients for soup! Because no matter what comes, we’ve still got to eat.

Hail ancestors of blood! Lend us your wisdom during these troubled times…

Covid19 Prepping with Homemade Soup to Share

Soups become curative potions which can be made in advance, and frozen in portions to thaw later when you may actually be sick. Moreover, with witchcraft techniques, you can transmute nervous energy into productive care, by awakening our allies from the realms of plant, animal and mineral into “potion” form, meant to build up our bodies and spirits, rather than succumbing to fruitless panic. It’ll take more than a mountain of toilet paper and hand sanitizer to emerge victorious from this particular phase of the apocalypse.

Consider making a large “cauldron” of a hearty soup, and sharing a quart jar or two with elderly or ailing neighbors, or the at-risk folks you know whose loss of hourly work during a “social-distancing” slow-down, may make it difficult to put food on their own table. My mother is the one who taught me that sharing food with neighbors in need was the “good Christian thing to do.” As a witch and pagan priestess, I think it is the decent human thing to do, regardless of creed. We’re all one divine being; and we are all in this “public health” crises together.

Sterilization Processes

If you do share soup made in your home, take every sterilization precaution: frequent hand washing and counter disinfecting, covering your hair, nose and mouth while preparing. Make sure to transfer the boiling hot soup to a sterilized quart mason jar and seal while still hot. Then sterilize the outside of the sealed jar with hearty scrub with soap and water, or swabbed down with rubbing alcohol. Take care in transfer, wearing gloves, and then the recipient should repeat the washing process on their end, too. This covid19 virus hates the heat, soap and 70% rubbing alcohol, but can live on surfaces for up to 10 days. Take care!

I’ve included clickable picture links below to each of the soup recipes I’ve posted over the years, with excerpts to tease your culinary interest. May they each nourish and inspire you during these uncertain times.
~Heron

Chicken Noodle “Elixir” to Cure what Ails You

As tradition dictates, when my family is home sick, I whip up a favorite family curative, chicken noodle soup. Since I’m a witch, I know which attributes to awaken within the ingredients so that it becomes an act of magick… the main ingredient is still LOVE.

In this recipe article, I include instructions of any good witchcraft potioneering, to understand the magickal medicine of each ingredient, and to awaken that energy into the curative brew…which in this case is a soup you eat. I’ve also included information about the magickal properties of the main ingredients.

“Make sure to take time to bless and charge this concoction before you eat it. Call up the powers of earth mother and sky father, or Reiki, or however it is that you do the magick that you do, and infuse that into the soup; set the elixir to it’s work. I stir the pot by drawing in the soup a pentacle with my ladle…circling round deosil (clockwise) three times, then I declare SO MOTE IT BE! I tap the spoon on the edge of the pot three times.

It is good form to express gratitude to all the spirits of animal, plant and mineral who’ve given themselves to nourish your family and bring them good health. Someday it will be your turn, and your bodies will be given back, your minerals will enrich the earth, feed the worms, and push up the daisies, but with their help today is not that day!”

Witchin’ in the Kitchen: Chicken Noodle “Elixir” to Cure What Ails You

Beef and Barley Purple Stew, a Longevity Potion

This delicious stew combines a number of plants which contain purple pigments. They contain antioxidants, which boost general health in many ways; flavonoids, including resveratrol, that can help decrease blood pressure; and polyphenols that reduce inflammation. But most importantly, this soup is hearty and a delicious comfort food, which always lifts my spirits when I’m feeling down.

“Purple is for longevity. Red onions, purple varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, and carrots, red and purple grapes (including wine and balsamic vinegar) and eggplant are all “purple” foods that have some stellar health benefits.”

Witchin’ in the Kitchen: Beef and Barley Purple Stew, a Longevity Potion

Italian Onion Survival Soup

I originally called the story of this Onion Soup recipe “Broke Bitch Gourmet” because It is one of those things I whipped up when I was flat broke and making do with kitchen remnants. Considering the financial impacts of a pandemic, we may all be eating on the cheap for a while. But the truth is that eating a soup stock made of onion and copious amounts of garlic, is proven to improve health and stave off illness. This includes recovery from viruses like colds and flues. If you are actually sick, dramatically increase the garlic to more like 10-12 cloves, called for in this recipe. If you are vegetarian, use a miso paste to make the broth. If you are vegan, forego the cheese or use a vegan cheese substitute.

Italian Onion Survival Soup Recipe

Turkey Lentil Rice Veggie Soup

I originally wrote this recipe article with instructions for using the remains of a traditional thanksgiving meal to make a hearty soup from turkey bone-stock. Since we may all be quarantined at home for a while, even if we feel fine, I’d remind the country that home-cooked meals of turkey or roasted chicken don’t have to be reserved for the holidays. They are the meals that keep on giving leftovers for days and days.

Even if that level of meal preparation is too much trouble for you right now, just skip roasting the whole turkey and buy a turkey or chicken breast to cook up separately for the soup, and buy a prepared stock of your choice. This balanced broth of vegetables, plus lentils, makes another complete meal with curative nutrients that can be made in large batches in advance, and frozen for use later if you do happen to get sick and need a quick meal.

Witchin’ in the Kitchen: Turkey Bone Stock for Lentil Veggie Soup

No Toil or Trouble Tomato Soup

This tomato soup is just easy plain easy and comforting, and the vegetables it contains are indeed good curatives when one is sick. However, the best lessons I’ve gained from this recipe, were more about the sharing of love among women. Especially potent is how the love of food transcends all borders of culture and language, as I received it from a new acquaintance, recently immigrated from Kazakhstan.

“Now, I’m a Southern woman, and one of the ways we women bond and make allies, is through the exchange of recipes. The subtle art of “buttering yur biscuit” by asking for a woman’s personal recipe, is a long-practiced, and sacred tradition of flattery around these parts.”

Witchin’ in the Kitchen: No Toil or Trouble Tomato Soup

Autumn Harvest Bisque

This Autumn Harvest Bisque is THE recipe to scintillate the senses, and the spices could burn out a cold, bringing one to sweat, which does help treat a virus. This recipe serves the needs of your most health-conscious, gluten free and vegan family. The green onions and crispy bacon crumbles as optional garnish with satisfy the more carnivorous among you. This recipe adds exotic spices to simple veggies, which are usually seasonal in the fall, but are still available in modern groceries year round, and will add a healthy boost of the yellow and orange vegetable family. It relatively quick to prepare.

The lemongrass, ginger, curry and the turmeric it contains, are all curative medicine when one is sick, and there are apples! “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” While you’re at the market stock way up on ginger, lemon and honey, so you can make a tea of those ingredients if you do come down with a virus, as they’ll soothe the symptoms of respiratory ailments of all kinds.

Witchin’ in the Kitchen: Autumn Harvest Bisque

Lucky Beans and Greens, to fill your Tummy and your WALLET

I originally posted this Beans and Greens soup recipe for New Year’s day meals to draw luck and money into your life. Considering the stock market keeps crashing over the mismanagement of the Covid19 virus in the US, and the isolation set to tank international and local business economy, imma just guess that we could all use a bit of extra luck and money in the coming days. Plus, this meal is delicious and nutritious, no matter what time of year.

“My Southern ancestors all swear on a stack of bibles that on New Year’s day, you eat a meal of beans to draw coins, and greens to draw green cash money into your life. In the witching biz, we call this “sympathetic magick.” I want more of a thing; I find something at hand that resembles – is in sympathy – with the wanted thing; I internalize the sympathetic thing; BOOM! I draw to me the REAL THING! In this case, we literally CONSUME the sympathetic money, and hope for both internal and external riches.”

New Year’s Money Supper! Lucky Beans and Greens