Mexican Chicken Soup is Good for…everything!

I'm a teacher which means that I will forever be sick…at least for the first few years.  Lucky for me…and my perpetually sore throat, I love soup.  I'm not talking about a normal kind of love…I'm talking about I could eat soup all day, every day, forever and always kind of love. It heals me when I'm sick.  It warms from my tummy to my toes when it's cold out and my heart when it hurts.  Soup is so versatile.  You can put just about anything in it and it will still be amazing.

So, I pooled everything I had to make a delicious chicken soup and made myself some.  And my, oh my…was it delicious.  I thought about freezing some of it for later, but I couldn't help myself…I ate it all. Every single bite (over several days, of course).  This is one of my favorite soups..though it is never quite the same!

One more thing:  this recipe is only a guideline.  If you wanna add corn, go for it. Beans? Yum! Zucchini? Even better.  Want it spicier? Add more spice!  This is YOUR soup..make it YOUR way!  Just go for it and enjoy :)

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, shredded
• 1 can organic stewed tomatoes (I squish them), with the juice
• 1 container low sodium organic chicken stock
• 4 cups water
• 2 C green beans
• 1 1/2 C peas
• 4 chopped carrots (~1/2" pieces)
• 1 T cumin
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Salt to taste (be careful here, I don't cook with much salt since it can be added easily to taste when ready to serve) 

Directions:

1. Combine chicken stock, water, and chicken breasts in a dutch oven (or stock pot).  Heat on medium heat until chicken is cooked through.  Shred the chicken and return to the pot. 
2. Add spices and stir. 
3. Add carrots, green beans, and peas to the pot and cook on low. 
4. Once carrots are fork tender, add tomatoes (with the juice).  Cook on low for 15 minutes more to let everything soak in. 

Serve topped with fresh avocado and a dollop of sour cream. Side with organic blue corn tortilla chips. 

Enjoy!

Of course, add whatever you want to the soup.  The beauty of soup, it that anything and everything can go in it and it will probably still be delicious.  Some additions I would add, if my body would let me are: sweet corn, peppers, black beans, lentils, and more.  Get creative people!

Oh My Heart - Green Beans!

Oh how I love green veggies! If it's green - I love it. To be honest, my favorite green veggie of all time is collard greens.  I am still working through the fact that I will probably never eat them again.  But..thankfully, I've discovered that I can eat green beans.  Yummy, delicious green beans.  

A few weeks ago, some friends from church invited us over for dinner.  They were so incredibly sweet, knowing that I have food issues they made a side platter of green beans and carrots.  Holy smokes.  It was delicious.  I have since made this dish 2+ times a week since and love it.  I varied the recipe a little bit to be a bit healthier and added some more things to up the nutrition even more.  

Here's The Recipe:

Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs fresh green beans (or frozen really)
• 4 carrots, peeled & cut into 1/2" chunks
• 1 sweet yellow onion, sliced thin
• 1 C mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
• EVOO or coconut oil
• Salt and pepper to taste. 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in pan on low heat.  Add onions and garlic, cook for 3-5 minutes and add green beans.  Cook on low, covered for 20ish minutes (I mean looooow low).  Stir occasionally.
2. Add carrots and cook until they are fork tender
3. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes, uncovered. Stir occasionally. 
4. Salt & Pepper to taste

**I add the green beans in early because my body needs them to be super super cooked.  If you like a crispier green bean, add them when you add the carrots! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!  Keep and eye out for more yummy recipes on the blog!

Soluble v. Insoluble Fiber…What's the difference?

So when people find out I have food restrictions the top question I get is, "…So what can't you eat?"  It is honestly easier these days to say what I can eat. If everyone understood (including me) the difference between insoluble and soluble fiber, life would be much easier.  So, here is the simple breakdown:

Soluble Fiber 

Soluble fiber is my "good fiber" for me.  For others, not so much.  Soluble means that it can be dissolved in water (i.e. easily digestible).  I've learned that it is important for me to always eat soluble fiber first, before anything else because its helps kickstart my digestive process and therefore helps the other foods I eat digest more easily.



So what kinds of foods are high in soluble fiber?

• Rice
• Barley
• Root Veggies (carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, potatoes)
• Squash
• Mushrooms
• Avocados
• You can learn more about soluble fiber here.  

Whenever my tummy is super irritated from things like crazy holiday foods, the best thing for me to do "reset" and go back to the basics to calm everything back down. I love to make roasted squash and carrots.  It's simple, real food that tastes great, is full of nutrients, and helps my body get back to normal. 

Insoluble Fiber

Insoluble fiber is my "bad fiber".  Yes…insoluble fiber is really, super, awesomely good for a healthy diet.  For me…it just means that I will lay in bed all day curled into a tiny ball.  The best way I've learned to teach someone about insoluble fiber is that insoluble fiber is the hard, rough, stringy inside of  plant food, or the tough skin, hull, peel, or pod on the the outside of the plant food.  In addition, nuts and seeds are very high in insoluble fiber.

So what kinds of food are high in insoluble fiber?

• Cruciferous veggies (cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, etc)
• Bell peppers (my most favorite..ugh)
• Corn (including popcorn)
• Beans
• Celery
• Greens (spinach, arugula, etc)
• Oranges, grapes, pineapple
• Green beans
• You can learn more about insoluble fiber here.

So yea - you read that right.  ALL the delicious, healthy, eat-all-you-want-and-lose-weight veggies, are banned from my diet.  Not to mention, those were my favorite foods!  How many of you reading this remember me munching on a delicious baggie of cut up bell peppers? Have I ever forced you into trying my delicious roasted cabbage wheels?  As you could imagine, this revelation was a HUGE change in my life (as well as my husband's - considering I do most of the grocery shopping and cooking).

Included in my research, I have also learned that there ways to incorporate the "bad for me fiber" that I NEED into my diet.  I eat ALOT of peas.  Yes…peas.  They really have a bad rap..try them with a little EVOO, fresh garlic, carrots, and onions…and you've got my standard, every night of the week green veggie.  I've also learned recently that green beans (if cooked really, really, really, well done) are okay on my tummy too (OH MY HEART I love green beans so. stinkin. much.).  

I'll post recipes for these two delicious side green dishes soon.  

Ode to the Green Smoothie

Unless you've been living under a rock you've heard at least a snippet about this new health craze…the green smoothie.

I have always been a fan of eating my greens, but these days, drinking them is my ideal method of consumption.  Below is my most favoritist (yes, that's a word in my house) green smoothie recipe.

A few things about my smoothies (and smoothies in general):

1. I drink them every day.  I have to, if I don't I don't have any energy, my tummy feels bloated, and I simply feel off.  
2. This recipe is pretty hefty because I use it as a meal replacement.  If you don't want it as a meal replacement, back off the fruits some if you want. 
3. I've read that it is important to drink your smoothie relatively soon after making it so that the nutrients don't break down.  Also, I've read that if the smoothie is stored in an airtight container, the nutrients last longer. Therefore, I make my smoothies in the mornings before work and store them in mason jars filled to the very top. 

Oh how I love the bright green goodness.

I suggest investing in these.  These lids make smoothies much more on-the-go friendly. 

The hubster loves it when I have leftovers for him - a green shot to go along with breakfast :)

Here's the recipe:

Layer the ingredients in this order:

• 1 C frozen mango
• 1 1/2 cup frozen bananas
• 1 T sunbutter (or whatever nut butter you use - this is the only one I'm not allergic to)
• 1 T chia seeds
• 2 handfuls of fresh spinach 
• 16 oz water

I'm a Trader Joe's nut - I know.  You just can't beat their prices!

I blend it down and add more spinach when there is more space. I use a normal blender.  No…it is not the best or as convenient as a Vitamix or Ninja but it does the job.  You can't use the fact that your blender isn't good enough as a reason to not make smoothies. Just do it!

There you go!  This smoothie is my staple.  I love it and look forward to it every morning and lunch.  I would like to learn and create more recipes to change it up a bit.  Keep an eye out for more recipes!

Feel free to leave your own smoothie recipes below for me and others to try!