WEEKLY WINTER SOUP SERIES – By Katie Davenport, MS, RD, LD (Clinical Nutrition)
March 18- Spring Soup
The first official day of spring is March 19th – we made it through another Maine winter! In celebration of spring’s arrival, this week’s soup (and the last in this series) is a “Spring Soup”, filled with vibrant green vegetables, mimicking the bright green landscapes that come with the transition to springtime. It’s another quick and easy one-pot recipe that comes together in just 30 minutes and serves six.
Did you make one of the recipes in this winter soup series? I’d love to hear your feedback! If you have any questions or requests for future articles from the clinical nutrition team, please e-mail Katie Davenport MS, RD, LD at davenpka@cmhc.org
Spring Soup (Vegan and Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- Salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 10 small new potatoes (or white potatoes), cut into small cubes
- Black pepper
- Juice from ½ of a lemon (or 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 pound fresh or frozen peas
- 4 cups baby spinach
- Garnishes (optional): chopped scallions, chopped chives, chopped mint leaves, extra squeeze of lemon juice
Preparation: Heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the cumin, coriander, onion and a few pinches of salt. Sautee for five minutes. Add the garlic, celery, potatoes and black pepper to taste. Stir and cook for another five minutes or until fragrant. Add the lemon juice, cook for 1 minute. Pour in the vegetable broth. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cook covered until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add the peas and spinach. Cook, stirring until the spinach has wilted. Carefully transfer 1 ½ cups of the soup to a blender and blend until creamy. Return the blended soup to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve with garnishes as desired and enjoy!
March 11 – Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
This week’s lemon chicken orzo soup is a flavorful variation of chicken noodle soup with the addition of fresh lemon juice and spinach, and a switch from egg noodles to orzo pasta. This is a quick and easy dish that’s great for a weeknight supper or lunch. It comes together in just 30 minutes (!) and serves eight.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into 1- inch pieces
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ cup dry orzo pasta
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (or juice from 3 lemons)
- 1 ½ cups raw spinach
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation: Season cubed chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Heat oil in the pan and add chicken. Stir to cook chicken through. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Using the same pot over medium-high heat, heat oil, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are starting to become tender. Add thyme and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, water, and bay leaves. Simmer for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to high and bring liquid to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the orzo and chicken. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer until orzo is done, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat. Serve and enjoy!
Leftover Soup Tips:
Have some leftover soup to use up? Here are a few tips to make your leftover soup taste less like leftovers and more like a new, fresh soup:
- Add other leftovers from the week, such as cooked tofu, turkey, beef, bell pepper, carrots, or zucchini.
- Add drained and rinsed canned beans (white beans may be best in this week’s soup!).
- Enhance the mouthfeel by adding a splash of milk or cream, giving broth-based soups a creamy texture.
- Taste test and add extra seasonings as leftovers are reheated. For this week’s soup, consider adding extra thyme, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper; or garlic powder, onion salt, dried oregano, or dried parsley.
- Blenderize your soup! All the flavor will still be there, and the change in consistency will make leftovers seem less boring.
- Add toppings, such as crackers, croutons, fried wonton strips, pickled jalapeno, shredded cheese, sliced green onions, crumbled bacon, salsa, chopped pickles, kimchi, sour cream, chopped nuts, crispy chickpeas, etc.
Reheating Tips:
- Reheat your soup in a sauce pot over low-medium heat on the stove top, stirring occasionally. Add broth or liquid as needed for the desired consistency.
- Microwave reheating can result in uneven temperature. Reheat your soup in 30-45 second intervals, stirring after each interval. Microwaves utilize the water found in food to help speed up the cooking process. If your soup seems like it needs more liquid when you take it out of the fridge or freezer, add extra water or broth prior to cooking.
March 3 – Vegan Vegetable Soup
This week’s recipe is quick and easy, taking only 30 minutes to prepare and serves eight. It is a tasty vegan vegetable soup made with frozen vegetables, which is a huge time-saver! One question dietitians get asked frequently is “which is better: fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables?” Well, all of them are nutritious choices! Frozen vegetables have slightly higher nutrient content than fresh vegetables though. Let’s compare…
Frozen vegetables are harvested at the farm or greenhouse at peak ripeness. Within hours, they are frozen and packaged. They remain frozen until use which preserves the high nutrient levels.
Fresh vegetables are harvested at the farm or greenhouse at peak ripeness or just prior to this state. They are then packed and transported to holding facilities and grocery stores, which could be states or countries away from their origin and take days to reach their destination. Plus, transport and storage time after purchase at the grocery store. As time passes, nutrients are lost as the produce naturally begins to break down. By the time we purchase and prepare to cook with it, much of the vegetable’s nutrient content may be lost. Buying fruits and vegetables from local farms and farmer’s markets is a great way to get more nutrition from your fresh produce!
Canned vegetables are somewhere in the middle as far as nutrient content. They are packaged and preserved shortly after harvest, similar to frozen vegetables. However, freezing often preserves nutrients better than canning does. Canned tomato products in particular tend to be more nutritious than fresh tomatoes because they are heated prior to canning, which increases the availability of the antioxidant lycopene for our bodies to absorb after consumption beyond what a fresh tomato can provide.
This week’s vegetable soup uses frozen vegetables and canned tomato products, so you know it is filled with those good nutrients that we want from our veggies!
Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbls olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz frozen vegetable blend (peas, carrots, corn, and green beans, or a similar vegetable blend)
- 12 oz Italian frozen vegetable blend (carrots, green beans, lima beans, and cauliflower, or a similar vegetable blend)
- One 15 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup marinara sauce or pasta sauce
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Preparation: In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and stir frequently until fragrant. Add the frozen vegetables, tomatoes, marinara sauce, broth, seasonings, and vinegar. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until vegetables are warmed and cooked through. Serve and enjoy!
Feb. 26 – Ground Turkey and Vegetable Soup
This week’s soup is colorful, flavorful and only requires one pot! It comes together in about an hour, including prep time and serves eight hungry people.
Fennel is used twice in this recipe, as the fresh bulb and as the dried seeds. Both have a mild, licorice-like flavor, adding a unique taste to any dish. When it comes to the nutritional aspect of fennel, it is high in the micronutrients calcium, potassium, and magnesium. These three minerals work together to play a vital role in bone health. Fennel seeds contain manganese, which can also support bone health, with additional benefits such as wound healing, blood sugar control and cellular protection. The plant compound anethole, found in high concentrations in fennel seeds, and the antioxidant vitamin C, found in fresh fennel bulb, may help protect against certain cancers as well. If you have not tried fennel before, this recipe is an easy, flavorful and nutritious opportunity to do so!
Ground Turkey & Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
3 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium fennel bulb, chopped
4 large kale leaves
4 cups low sodium tomato juice
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
1 + ½ teaspoon crushed fennel seed
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, more or less to taste
1 cup small pasta shells (uncooked)
2 teaspoons salt, to taste
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
Preparation: In a stock pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the turkey breast, stirring to break up the turkey into small pieces as it cooks. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink (about six minutes). Add the chopped vegetables to the stock pot with the turkey and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the turkey and vegetables begin to caramelize. Add the tomato juice, chicken stock, kidney beans, fennel seed, crushed red pepper and salt to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 10 minutes. Skim any foam off the top. Add the pasta and stir the soup well. Cover the pot and let it simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the pasta is al dente. Stir in the chopped basil. Taste, season with additional salt, fennel, or red pepper flakes as needed.
Feb. 12 – Homemade Tomato Soup
Another classic soup for you this week, one that is the perfect match for a grilled cheese sandwich… homemade tomato soup! Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K, and folate, in addition to the beneficial plant compounds lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Tomatoes are well known for containing lycopene, which is a carotenoid (plant pigment) with strong antioxidant properties. The red-orange pigment is also found in grapefruit, carrots, red peppers, watermelon, and other red, orange, or pink produce. When it comes to the health benefits of lycopene, research supports the connection between consuming lycopene-containing foods regularly and a lower risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease.
Show your heart some love and try this simple recipe! It comes together in just under an hour and serves 10. To make it heart healthy, swap margarine for butter, and choose low sodium chicken broth and no salt added tomatoes.
Homemade Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, divided
3 medium yellow onions chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth
Two 28 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: fresh chopped basil, croutons, freshly grated parmesan
Preparation: In a large stainless steel, ceramic, glass, or enamel coated pot, heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent; do not brown. Add the garlic, stir and cook a few minutes more, until fragrant. Add the flour and continue cooking and stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat while stirring to make sure the flour does not stick to the bottom or sides of the pan. Simmer for 40 minutes. After simmering, use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth (alternatively, allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer the soup in batches to a blender to puree until smooth). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish as desired.
Feb. 5- Egg Drop soup
Celebrate Chinese New Year starting on Feb. 10 with Egg Drop soup! (Get ready for another Asian-inspired soup next week, too!) With swirls of egg throughout, this soup is easy, flavorful and can be fun to make with the kids. It comes together in just under 20 minutes (!!) and serves six as an appetizer or side to a meal.
The famous trio of soups at a Chinese restaurant is often hot and sour soup, Wonton soup, and egg drop soup. Egg drop soup gets its name from how the soup is made – by dropping raw egg into hot soup. The liquid egg cooks and solidifies immediately on contact with the simmering hot broth, creating the distinct swirls of egg throughout. The direct translation of its name from Chinese to English is “egg flower soup” because of the flower-like pattern that the egg swirls form. Kinda fun, right?
Looking for more recipes to celebrate the Chinese year of the Dragon? This blog post has a long list of traditional Chinese recipes to try at home, including char siu (Chinese BBQ pork), coconut curry beef stew, chicken chow mein, vegetarian spring rolls, orange chicken skewers and more!
Egg Drop Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt (can be omitted or reduced)
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon MSG (can be omitted or reduced)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional, for color)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed well with 1/3 cup water
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- Garnish: chopped scallion, fried wonton noodles (optional)
Preparation: In a medium soup pot over medium heat, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Stir in the sesame oil, salt, sugar, white pepper and MSG. Add the turmeric, if using. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. Slowly add the cornstarch and water mixture, stirring continuously as you add the slurry to the broth. Mix well for even consistency. Use a ladle to stir the soup in a circular motion and slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the broth. The egg will form “egg flowers” or swirls of egg in the soup. Serve garnished with chopped scallion and fried wonton noodles. Enjoy!
Jan. 29- Ham and Cabbage with potato
This week’s soup is an old-fashioned classic – Ham and Cabbage soup with potatoes! It takes just about an hour to prepare and serves eight.
Ham sometimes gets a bad rap, usually because it is high in sodium and saturated fat, which can be bad for our health if we eat too much or too often. When consumed in moderation, ham can be a delicious and nutritious addition to any eating pattern. It is high in protein (11 grams in 2 ounces!) and rich in selenium, B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, zinc and potassium.
What’s notable is the fact that ham can provide up to 75% (!) of the recommended daily value for selenium in a single 2-3 ounce serving. After digestion and absorption, selenium serves as a part of enzymes and proteins found in the body. It is used to help make DNA, protect cells against damage and protect the body from infections. Selenium is also heavily involved in the reproduction and metabolism of thyroid hormones. In fact, the thyroid gland holds the highest concentration of selenium in the body!
Ham and Cabbage Soup with Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, diced with peels on
- 1 small head of green cabbage, chopped
- 1 to 1 ½ cups diced ham
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- Two 32-ounce containers chicken stock
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 1-2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
Preparation: In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot, sautee until just starting to soften (about 3-4 minutes). Add the garlic, stir and cook until fragrant. Add potatoes, cabbage, and ham. Stir to combine. Stir in thyme, salt, pepper, and celery salt. Add the chicken stock and bay leaf, bring to a simmer. Place a lid on the pot and reduce to a very low simmer. Allow the soup to cook for 30 minutes or until the potatoes and cabbage are cooked through. Stir in the bouillon powder. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed. Serve and enjoy!
Note: The sodium content in this recipe can be high, depending on the ingredients used. To reduce the amount of sodium in this recipe…
- Check the Nutrition Facts Panel for the sodium content of your ham. If available, choose a product with less sodium per serving.
- Use half as much salt and celery salt as the recipe calls for.
- Choose “low sodium” or “no salt added” chicken stock.
Choose “reduced sodium” or “low sodium” bouillon powder.
Jan. 22, 2024 – Vegetable Lentil
This week’s soup is a great choice for a Meatless Monday lunch or supper! There are no animal products in this recipe, making it a completely vegan dish. This yummy vegetable lentil soup comes together in just 40 minutes and serves eight.
Lentils are a type of legume related to beans, peanuts and peas. They are easy to cook, versatile, budget- friendly, and a nutritious addition to any eating pattern. Just half of a cup of cooked lentils offers roughly 120 calories, 9 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, B vitamins and at least 15% of the recommended daily value for iron, phosphorus, copper and manganese. Much like other plant-based foods, lentils contain polyphenols (plant compounds) which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective potential when consumed regularly.
Vegetable Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Two 15-ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
- One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 quart (32 ounces) vegetable stock
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups kale, ribs removed, chopped
Preparation: In a large stock pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add the onions and carrots, stirring often, until onion becomes tender and translucent. Add the garlic, cumin and thyme. Cook until fragrant. Add fire-roasted tomatoes and chickpeas. Add the lentils, vegetable stock and water. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Carefully transfer approximately three cups of the soup into a blender or food processor (include an even mixture of vegetables and broth). Puree mixture until smooth. Add pureed soup back to the pot with the remaining soup, stir to combine. Add chopped kale, stir and cook until wilted. Enjoy!
Jan. 15, 2024- Hearty Beef and Dumplings
Soup number three of our Winter Soup series is a hearty beef and dumplings recipe that easily comes together in 1 hour and serves 8. This week’s recipe calls for bone broth, which has increased in popularity in recent years. Bone broths are similar to stocks and broths, but each is made by a slightly different method.
Stock is prepared by simmering bones and connective tissues in water for a few hours. The longer they simmer, the more nutrients are released into the liquid. Collagen and gelatin are released into the water, creating a thicker liquid that may partially solidify when refrigerated. Herbs, spices, and vegetables may be added for flavor, if you choose.
Broth is made by simmering meat and/or vegetable scraps in water for a shorter period of time. It is more translucent and thinner than a stock. Again, herbs and spices may be added for flavor.
Bone broth is technically a stock because it is made from boiling bones and connective tissues. The difference between stock and bone broth is the length of time it needs to cook. Stock simmers for 3-4 hours, whereas bone broth simmers for at least 12 hours.
In nearly any recipe: stock, broth, or bone broth can be used interchangeably. If you’re looking for more nutritional benefit, using bone broth instead of a stock or broth can offer more high-quality dietary protein, collagen (for healthy hair, skin, nails, and joints), immune system support, and gastrointestinal tract support.
Beef and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (to make this recipe gluten free, use a gluten free flour blend instead)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon each dried sage, dried thyme, dried oregano
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 cups beef bone broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 16- ounce frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, green beans)
Preparation: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and seasonings. Whisk to combine. Pour in milk and two tablespoons olive oil. Gently stir using a rubber spatula until a dough forms and all of the flour has been absorbed into the wet ingredients. Set aside. In a large pot, combine the beef bone broth and water and bring to a boil. While the liquid in the pot is heating, take the dough that was previously set aside and roll into ½ to 1 teaspoon-sized balls. Drop the balls of dough into the boiling broth and reduce the heat to simmer. Let the dumplings simmer for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through. While the dumplings are simmering, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the beef stew chunks to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. (Note: You don’t need to cook the beef all the way through in this step, just enough to brown the sides). Add the browned beef to the simmering liquid with dumplings. Continue simmering to cook the beef through, about 10 minutes. Stir in the frozen vegetables and heat through until vegetables are tender and no longer frozen. Serve and enjoy!
Jan. 8, 2024 – Curried Chicken Soup
Our new Winter Soup Series is up and running and this week’s recipe is packed with vegetables and flavor!
Celebrate National Curried Chicken Day on Jan. 12 with this curried chicken soup recipe. This week, I’ll be highlighting the nutritional benefits of the bright and fragrant curry powder used in this dish.
When shopping for a curry powder, we find that no two ingredient lists are exactly the same because there is no single defined combination of spices to include in a curry powder blend. In general, the base of all curry powders starts with turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder and fenugreek. There may be an additional 14+ spices added (e.g., black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, mustard, etc).
Turmeric is the ingredient in curry powder that gives it, and this week’s soup, its bright, golden color. It is well-known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which serve a benefit in any chronic disease. The plant compound curcumin, found in turmeric, may lower risk of heart disease, improve memory and attention, prevent cancer, reduce arthritis-associated pain, and boost mood.
Fenugreek, also found in curry powder, may offer the greatest benefit to individuals with type 2 diabetes since it has been shown in some studies to improve glycemic control when consumed regularly. However, more research is needed. It can also support reproductive health in both women and men.
Turmeric and fenugreek aren’t the only spices in this recipe that are good for us. Each spice brings its own list of benefits to the table, making this curried chicken soup a delicious, health-boosting powerhouse!
This recipe takes about 40 minutes to make and serves six.
Curried Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 cup sliced baby portabella mushrooms
- 4 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups chicken bone broth (make it heart healthy by choosing a “low sodium” or “no salt added” product)
- 1 (14 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
- 1-2 cups spinach or kale, stems/ribs removed, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Garnish: fresh cilantro, scallions, or basil
Preparation: In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook until soft and the onions are translucent. Add garlic, ginger and mushrooms. Cook an additional minute. Add the curry powder, turmeric and cayenne. Cook until fragrant. Add the raw chicken, bone broth, coconut milk and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and shred, then return the chicken to the soup. Add spinach or kale and cook until wilted. Add lime juice, salt and pepper. Serve with garnish as desired and enjoy!
Dec. 18, 2023 – Chicken Noodle Soup
The first day of winter is Thursday, December 21, and we are starting off this winter soup collection with a classic: chicken noodle soup! This is a great recipe to keep handy for when that pesky winter cold comes around because the combination of ingredients provides a big immune system and cold-fighting boost! The carrots provide vitamin A to support white blood cells as they fight off infection. Chicken is a lean protein made up of amino acids that are beneficial for chest decongestion, mood boosting, and restful sleep. Onions can help reduce inflammation and the noodles provide carbohydrates that keep you full but are easy on the stomach. The following recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and serves 8.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme (stems removed)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 10 cups chicken broth (make it heart healthy by choosing low sodium broth!)
- 12 ounces wide egg noodles
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (to save time, use meat from a rotisserie chicken!)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
Preparation: In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add in the carrots, celery, and onion. Sautee until tender (5 minutes). Add the garlic, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Sautee for an additional minute. Pour in the chicken broth and egg noodles. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce to a simmer and let the noodles cook until al dente (about 10 minutes). Add the chicken and fresh parsley right before serving. Continue to simmer until the chicken is heated through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!