Chicken Soup for the Soul

Well, the stomach bug hit our house last weekend...so needless to say, there was not much cooking going on around here for a few days. But after two full days of eating nothing, I decided it was time to turn the stove on again...and what better for recovering tummies than chicken soup?

Now, there are several ways to go about making chicken soup, some of which take hours. But since I usually stockpile my cooked, shredded chicken and homemade chicken stock, this recipe was a breeze.

Start with 4 to 6 carrots and 2 or 3 ribs of celery, chopped into bite-size pieces.


Cover them with about 6 cups of chicken stock and cook until tender.

Add roughly 2 cups shredded chicken and enough water to give you the amount of soup you need to feed your brood (I added probably 3 or 4 cups of water). Bring to a boil; taste the broth to see if you need to add salt and pepper. Then pour in whole wheat egg noodles (I used 1/2 of a 12oz bag) and continue cooking until the noodles are tender.


Easy as pie. But tastes like chicken.


Enjoy!

Chicken Burritos

Burritos. Burrrritos. Burr-eeeet-ohs.

Fun to say. Fun to eat.

Here's another one you can have from the stove to the table in half an hour.

Start with 2 cans of pinto beans. If you want to skip this step, you can use a can of refried beans. But this way is much healthier. Drain and rinse the beans, then heat them in a small skillet.


As the beans warm through, mash them lightly with a potato masher. Add 1/4 cup water and some cumin, chili powder, and pepper.


The warmer the beans get, the easier they get to mash. Just keep mashing them periodically until they are smooth and creamy. Add 1/4 cup shredded cheese and stir it into the beans.


Brown one pound of ground chicken (or turkey) breast. Add one can of tomato sauce (but reserve 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce before pouring), 2 Tablespoons chili powder, 1 Tablespoon cumin, and a dash of salt.

Assemble the burritos - beans, chicken/sauce, and cheese - and lay seam side down in a baking dish.


Take the 1/4 cup reserved tomato sauce...


...and pour over the burritos. Top with cheese.


Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Then eat them. Burritos. Burrrritos. Burr-eeeet-ohs.


Enjoy!

Chicken Spaghetti

Oh my, this is easy and quick and delicious. Seriously, depending on whether your chicken is already cooked and shredded, you can have this on the table in 2o minutes. Even if you're starting with raw chicken, this qualifies as a 30 minute meal.

As I have posted before, I tend to buy split chicken breasts in bulk, slow-cook them to make broth, and then shred them up and store the meat in the freezer for a quick fix meal. If you don't have any go-to chicken in the freezer, just boil a couple of pieces and shred them to add to this dish.

Saute one package of mushrooms, thinly sliced, in olive oil.


After about 5 minutes, go ahead and add lots and lots of garlic - I used about 6 cloves, minced. Stir in one 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and lots of your favorite Italian herbs - oregano, basil, marjoram. Finally, add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and your cooked, shredded chicken.

Let the sauce simmer while you boil a pound of whole wheat spaghetti. When the spaghetti is almost done, go ahead and drain it and add it to the pot of sauce. The noodles will continue to cook a little bit in the sauce. Toss and serve.



That's it! And it's so good! Enjoy!

Greek Pitas

My friend Alicia first introduced me to this idea. Little Bit and I now have this for lunch whenever we don't have leftovers from the night before. Throw it together in less than 15 minutes total for a quick, healthy lunch. And of course, use whatever toppings you like. The possibilities are endless.

Spread a couple of drops of olive oil on a whole wheat pita. Cover with thin tomato slices, olives, and feta cheese. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes. Top with freshly sliced avocado.

I usually take a pizza slicer and cut it into fourths to make it easier to eat.

Enjoy!

Honey Peanut Chicken

Adapted from thepioneerwoman.com...

This meal is quick, easy, and delicious! Give it a try sometime...soon!

First, mix up your marinade:
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons peanut butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 dashes hot sauce

Cut one or two boneless skinless chicken breasts into chunks and cover with marinade. Let it sit for an hour...or 8 hours, if you want to get a head start that morning...or 10 minutes, if you forgot all about it till suppertime. I really don't think it matters too much. Just whatever works for you and your busy day.


Meanwhile, start a pot of brown rice. Chop one red bell pepper into thin strips and a few heads of broccoli into florets; saute over medium heat for 10 minutes.



About halfway through (that's 5 minutes after you start...or 5 minutes before you are done...I really think it's fine either way) hit those veggies with a couple of dashes of soy sauce. Once the peppers are tender and the broccoli is dark, remove the veggies from the pan and set aside.



Dump the chicken and marinade into the now-empty pan and cook for about 15 minutes. You want to make sure the sauce is cooked through since it has been in contact with the raw chicken.


Finally, dump the cooked veggies in and toss them around with the chicken and sauce. Serve over rice.

The coach looked up from his plate and said, "This is really good."

You'll say it too.


Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Burgers

This one's super easy and tasty. Just mix one pound of ground chicken breast, 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce, 1/8 cup soy sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground ginger (or some fresh grated ginger), a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and 3/4 cup breadcrumbs in a large bowl. If too moist, just add more breadcrumbs. Form burger patties (I think I made about 7) and then either grill or cook in a cast-iron skillet on the stovetop.

Serve with grilled veggies (marinated in soy sauce) and baked sweet potatoes.


Simple enough? Enjoy!

Roasted Pepper Pasta

This dish is so full of flavor I can hardly stand it. It is also so full of antioxidants that I actually put on a cape and flew after I ate it.

Start with 3 bell peppers of your choice. I tend toward the red/orange end of the spectrum. Halve the peppers, take the guts/seeds out, and place face-down on a baking sheet.

Put the peppers under the broiler for 15-20 minutes. They will be charred, as you will see later on.

While the peppers roast, go ahead and saute a pack of mushrooms, thinly sliced.


After about 5 minutes, add one 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon of fennel seeds, a little salt and pepper, and a handful of torn fresh basil. Bring to a boil and then simmer.


By now the peppers are about done. Take them out when they look like this...


Immediately drop the charred peppers into a bowl of ice water. As soon as they cool down, you will be able to peel the skin right off, leaving the roasted flesh to work with. (That sounds gross).

Cut the peppers into thin strips and stir into the tomato sauce. Cook a pound of whole wheat penne; drain and add to the sauce.


Oh, and don't forget the Parmesan.


Enjoy!