Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

So Kris and I are getting ready to move back to Colorado in a few weeks and were trying to plan out meals for what we would like to eat from now until we leave. We sat down and decided on a few of our favorite recipes. All of the meals we decided on you can make up ahead of time and freeze for later. Then, when you are hungry and don't feel like cooking, you can just warm them up on the stove.

Basically, we spent the whole day Saturday shopping, cooking, and waiting for stuff to cool so we could put it away. We ended up making about 25 meals for us (or 50 servings) of food that we can eat from now until we leave. We were both pretty exhausted by the end of the day, but are thrilled that we won't have to really cook again before we leave unless we want to.

Why do I share this all with you? Because cooking can be healthy, cheap, tasty, and fast when you plan ahead and use fresh, nutrient rich ingredients. I have been saying that I will share two of my soup recipes for awhile and after our cooking extravaganza on Saturday, I am finally ready to release one!

This homemade grandma-style chicken noodle soup is amazing! You make everything from scratch, even the stock and the noodles. It's also really easy to make, and goes a long way. Like many soup recipes, it is very versatile and you can make it with different consistencies, flavors, and vegetables. With the cold weather starting to creep in, and with it colds, coughs, and stuffy noses, this recipe is definitely a good one to hang on to for those chilly winter nights when you just want to curl up under a blanket and get warm and cozy. I hope that you will love this recipe just as much as I do. Enjoy!

*Parts of this recipe are adapted from Tyler Florence's Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe.
Ingredients:
Makes 14, 1 & 1/2 Cup Servings

Stock:

• 1 Whole Chicken (free-range)
• 3 Stalks Celery (cut into large chunks)
• 2 Carrot Green Tops
• 2 Carrots (cut into large chunks)
• 2 Large White Onions (quartered, still attached to the root)
• 1 Medium Turnip (quartered)
• 1 Head of Garlic (cut in half)
• 1/4 Bunch Fresh Thyme
• 5-7 Sprigs Fresh Parsley
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp Whole Black Peppercorns

Soup:

• Lug of Extra Virgin Olive Oil  
• 1 Medium Onion (chopped)
• 3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
• 2 Carrots (chopped to desired size)
• 3 Stalks of Celery (chopped to desired size)
• 4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme (leaves only)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• *Shredded Chicken from Stock*
• *Stock made previously*
• *Egg Noodles* (recipe follows)

Egg Noodles:

• 2 Cups Flour
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 1 Egg
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1/4-1/2 Cup Water

Directions for the Stock: 

1. Place whole chicken (minus the giblets) in a large stock pot along with the rest of the vegetables on the stove on medium high heat.
2. Pour only enough water in to cover up the chicken and vegetables (about 2 & 1/2 - 3 quarts).
3. Add the thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and peppercorns and bring to a boil. 
4. Once it boils, turn the heat down to medium-low and gently simmer for 1 & 1/2 hours, partially covered, until the chicken is fully cooked.
5. Remove the chicken to the cutting board and once it cools remove the skin and bones and shred the meat. Set the shredded meat to the side to use later.
6. Strain the stock and remove the vegetables, then set them to the side in a separate bowl.
7. Let stock cool and skim the fat off the surface then set the stock to the side.
8. Remove the root from the onions and puree onions, carrots, carrot tops, turnip, and celery in a blender or food processor.
9. Add pureed vegetables back into the stock; whisk together and set aside for later. 

Directions for the Egg Noodles:

1. Place flour in a bowl, then, after making a well in the center, add in the egg yolks, egg and salt.
2. Thoroughly mix with hands.
3. Add the water in 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing after each addition. 
4. Stop adding water when you can roll the dough into a ball. 
5. On a floured surface, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes)
6. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
7. Divide into 4 equal parts.
8. Using one part at a time, roll dough into a paper-thin rectangle. Keep remaining dough covered.
9. Gently and loosely, roll rectangle into a spiral. Cut to desired thickness and unroll. 
10. Place strips to dry on a towel or wax paper. This will usually take about 2 hours. 
11. Break the strips into small strips when dry. 
12. Cook in boiling water with salt added for about 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain, then add to soup when soup is finished.

Directions for the Soup:

1. In a stock pot, add oil and wait for it to heat. When heated, add in the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, thyme, and bay leaf. 
2. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender (about 6 minutes).
3. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. 
4. Add in the shredded chicken and simmer for another few minutes to bring to the same temperature. 
5. (If you are going to serve all of the soup at once, stir in the already cooked egg noodles and cook for another minute or so)
6. Separate into equal servings. Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with fresh parsley. 
7. (If freezing remaining soup, separate into freezer safe Tupperware to cool before placing in freezer. To defrost, simply place soup in a pot on the stove and add a little bit of water until it is the right consistency. When warm, and noodles are cooked, add the noodles into the soup). 

 Nutrition Facts (with noodles, per serving):

• Calories: 350
• Total Fat: 20 grams
• Sodium: 796 mg
• Potassium: 189 mg
• Sugars: 3 grams
• Protein: 21.2 grams
• Vitamin A: 51.4%
• Vitamin C: 16%
• Calcium: 3%
• Copper: 4%
• Folate: 5.5%
• Iron: 13%
• Magnesium: 4%
• Manganese: 10%
• Phosphorus: 4.5%
• Selenium: 12%

 What it Costs:

• Total cost is somewhere between 13-15 dollars.
• When you divide this by how many servings you get (14), it's about 1 dollar per serving. Definitely a lot cheaper than a frozen dinner or fast food.

Tips and Tricks

•  When making the egg noodles, don't just throw away the egg whites from the yolks you have to use. Save the egg whites in a bowl in the fridge and use them to make my healthy and tasty bran muffins. Here is the recipe: Michelle's Healthy and Tasty Bran Muffins
• The reason I don't add the noodles into the soup when I cook it is because we freeze all but two servings of the soup (which we eat right away). The noodles will get soggy if they are cooked, frozen and reheated again. The easiest thing to do is to cook as many noodles as you need per serving separately, and then add them into the reheated soup. This will keep the noodles from getting soggy, and will also make sure that you get the right amount of noodles in your serving of soup.  
• While the stock is cooking you can make your noodles. Don't worry, if they're not dry by the time you need to boil them, you will still be able to cook them the same way. Just be sure to wait for the remaining noodles to dry before you put them away in a bag to store them.
• The stock and soup are very versatile. You can add whatever else in that you want to make it taste the way you like it. The essentials for any chicken stock however are chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, spices, and herbs. So while you can add other things to the stock, I wouldn't recommend removing any of these ingredients from it or else it will loose its flavor. 
• You do not have to puree the left over vegetables from the stock if you do not wish to do so. Pureeing the vegetables adds A LOT more flavor to the stock though, so I would highly recommend it. You can also play around with how much of the vegetables you want to puree and which ones to give it a different consistency and flavor. 
• You can also use rice instead of noodles to make it healthier. About half of the time we eat this soup I will make up some brown rice to toss in.
• As always, it is much better to buy organic vegetables if you can get them.

Why it is Healthy:

• For one, you are cooking from scratch and it is pretty hard to beat that. Everything from the stock to the noodles, you will be creating yourself. This way you can know for sure what you have put in it, and how much of what you have put in it. 
• You get to develop the flavors of the chicken naturally and cook it in a healthy way. By boiling the chicken with vegetables and letting it sit in its own juices instead of cooking it with oil in a frying pan, it becomes less fatty.
• This recipe uses a ton of vegetables that are terrific for you. If you make the recipe just as I have written it you will be getting carrots, carrot greens, turnip, onions, celery, parsley and thyme. You are getting them directly in the soup, but also in the stock and the puree if you add it to the stock. This bowl of soup is packed full of nutrients. Especially in the winter, this soup can help keep you healthy!
• Carrots are great because they are high in carotenoids and as such have many different health benefits. High carotenoid intake has been associated with a decrease of up to 50 percent in bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx, and esophageal cancer as well as up to a 20 percent decrease on postmenopausal breast cancer. Carrots are also good for your eyes because they have the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin which can prevent cataracts and keep your eyes from degenerating. These carotenoids also break down to vitamin A in the body which is an antioxidant and immune system booster and can also help you see better in dim lighting. By adding the carrot greens to the puree you probably won't be able to taste them but you will get the potassium and protein they provide. 
• Celery is good because it helps lower high blood pressure. It also contains silicon which is good for bone health. Celery can also help stop the growth of cancer cells.
• Onions help to build strong bones and can reduce death from heart disease by 20%. It can also help relieve asthma.
• Turnips are an incredibly healthy vegetable. One cup of cooked turnips only has 35 calories but has 3 grams of fiber, 250 mg of potassium, 18 mg of vitamin C, and 51 mg of calcium. As such they are very good for bone health. 
• Garlic lowers cholesterol and prevents blood clots. Garlic also has anti-cancer properties and can even help fight the common cold. Also, it can help with blood pressure. It has recently been discovered that garlic can help with weight control. 
• Parsley can help fight cancer.
• Thyme contains antioxidants as well as aids with digestion. It can even relieve chest and respiratory problems like coughs or bronchitis.
• Most of the information regarding the vegetables and herbs was taken from The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden.

Well, that's my recipe for today. I hope that you enjoy it. Please feel free to comment with any questions and I will be happy to answer them. Also, "like" the Tummy Temple on Facebook here:
The Tummy Temple Facebook Page

As always, thanks for reading and eating along with me!

Jamie Oliver & Pizza as Vegetable?

You have heard me talk a lot about Jamie Oliver and his show Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution in past postings. Kris and I started watching the show last year, and Jamie Oliver is really what pushed Kris and I to make better decisions about what we were eating. Jamie Oliver is a chef in the UK who came to America to help us change the way we eat. As a chef and a food activist, Jamie has already changed much in the LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District) in California, giving children better school lunches.

Listen, if you want to start eating healthier and living better, this guy is one you should listen to. The first two seasons of his show can be found online and are definitely worth the time to watch. I also have links to his website and videos from his YouTube channel listed to the right.

Jamie Oliver was on Jimmy Kimmel last night encouraging people to call their congressperson to ask for better food. He contends that our government, in cooperation with the food industry in America, is the reason why the quality of our food is so terrible.

Right now, the hot button issue is that pizza is considered a vegetable in school lunches. I don't know about you, but something about this just doesn't quite add up for me. When schools say that their lunches include a vegetable everyday, it should, in fact, be a vegetable. What part of pizza says vegetable? Our government should not be sacrificing the health of school children just to save money.

Watch these videos to find out more and join Jamie Oliver and The Tummy Temple in sending a clear message to our government that we deserve better and our children deserve better too!

Text "JAMIE" to 90975

You will get a number to call where Jamie will walk you through what to do and will give you the number for your member of congress.

If you're uncomfortable calling you can also write an email to Congress through this website:

Write to Congress


Still not convinced? Watch these short videos from Jimmy Kimmel to learn more:

Please participate in this very important chance to help change the way food is handled in this country forever. Also check out my Facebook page for the Tummy Temple and support me by "liking it"

The Tummy Temple Facebook Page

That's all for today. As always, thanks for reading and eating along with me.

What's Stopping You?

I have been working on writing down two soup recipes that I have come to really love this time of year when it starts getting cold. They are both homemade. One is chicken noodle soup, and the other is chicken tortilla soup. I haven't had the time to get them finished this week and I really wanted to write something for today so I just thought I would start here.

Making Homemade Tomato Sauce-March 2011

The journey towards healthy eating for Kris and I started about a year ago. This was when we made the conscious decision to start eating better so we could loose weight. The real journey towards healthy eating actually did not begin until about three months later though. Kris and I originally just wanted to loose weight, but we were unwilling to make the big changes we needed to make to just be healthy. And as anyone can probably deduce, loosing weight does not necessarily mean you are healthy.

Steak 'n Shake-Fall 2008

There were many things standing in my way to being healthy. One was that I didn't want to give up fast food. I love french fries and a good cheeseburger. Fast food is also, well, fast and sometimes just easier than cooking. It took me awhile before I started learning about how dangerous and harmful to your body fast food can actually be. From the way meat is processed to disease and e-coli, the fast food industry has no respect for food. For more on this check out my previous blog post on the film, Food, Inc. When I realized that the food I was eating wasn't just bad for me because it was fatty, but that it could have lasting effects that could shorten my life, I knew I had to stop. It took awhile for me to cut it out completely, but I finally did it. I remember about a month after I had stopped eating fast food, Kris and I got some chicken nuggets from a fast food restaurant and were up sick all night. So . . . I guess that's what fast food does to a digestive system that hasn't built up a tolerance to it anymore. Kind of disgusting. We also started making soups and other meals from scratch and freezing them. Now, when we are hungry and don't feel like cooking, we just heat it up on the stove. It takes about the same amount of time to drive to the restaurant, order, and drive home (the soup recipes that I am hoping to post soon are great to freeze!)

Making Chicken Stock From Scratch-November 2011

Another reason that I didn't want to make big changes in my life to start eating healthy is that I was afraid I would be giving up flavor. I didn't want to eat lettuce and bland food all the time. I wanted food that was still tasty and would not just be something I had to eat, but something I wanted to eat. After learning a little bit about cooking healthier and using fresh ingredients, I realized that the natural flavors I could develop from say, making a homemade chicken stock, were way more delicious than the artificial chicken flavor of chicken nuggets. There really is no comparison.

I also thought that cooking would be too much work. I didn't always have the time or would be too tired. Well like I said, on my days off I started making up big batches of meals that Kris and I like to eat and then froze them. You don't have to sacrifice fresh for fast. You can have both if you prepare ahead of time.

Perhaps the biggest reason though why I didn't start eating healthier sooner was ignorance. I didn't know enough about the food industry to make good decisions about what I bought. I thought that if a food said it was good for you on the package it probably was. Or because it had less fat or less calories, it would help me loose weight. Being more concerned about loosing weight than being healthy is really not solving any problems. The food industry has placed a veil over the food that is produced and sent to our stores and restaurants. Instead of feeding us food that will make us healthy and keep us from getting sick, they feed us lies and myths. Take a look at the things that are supposed to be the "better" alternative for us. You know that whipped topping that comes in those tubs instead of cans? Take a good look at the ingredient list-it's whipped oil. How can that be good?

I guess I used to think that eating healthier just wasn't for me. It was a luxury. It wasn't necessary. It was for those health nut hippies. The list goes on and on. Excuse after excuse after excuse.

Then, when I finally started doing the research about eating healthier I was shocked and appalled. Then saddened. I learned that by eating fast food and a lot of the artificial foods I had been eating I was putting myself at risk for far more than just being overweight. As I read through book after book my curiosity only grew. I learned about how most kinds of fruits and vegetables can help prevent different kinds of cancer, extend your life, prevent heart disease and heart attacks, improve brain function and give you more energy. On the flip side, I learned how other foods like artificial sweetener for example can cause brain problems and even blindness. Foods that aren't healthy can put you at a high risk for heart attack and other diseases.

The cost of not eating healthy really is your life, or at least the quality of it. As a young woman, I may not have to worry about many of these things right now, but if I would have continued to eat the way I had been, I would have had to one day. I also realized that even if I didn't care about my own health, I certainly cared about the health of the children Kris and I will have one day hopefully. I want to live to see my grandchildren and be able to play with them.

That is why I started this blog. I don't feel like food is talked about enough anymore. Part of it is that I am a Christian, and among all of the stupid things people who share my faith have fought over, we never talk about what we put in our bodies. Sure the red flag goes up if someone says a swear word, but there is no accountability as to what we choose to eat on a regular basis. Part of my belief is that God wants us to be healthy. Being healthy positively affects all other aspects of our lives-physically, socially, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is because God loves us, that I know he wants better from us. Even if you don't believe in God, you should want better for you.

So my question for you is: what's stopping you? What are you letting stand in the way of a better, more abundant life? And what is the cost of letting it stop you?

I didn't start eating healthy to try and loose weight, but I did. I have lost 20 pounds so far, and am still working at it. But the main point is that I feel loads better and I have felt the quality of my life improve. That's my story:

 July, 2011

 September 2011

I've shared my story with you all, now, to end this post I would like to share a story from the wonderful book Eat This and Live by Don Colbert about one of his patients. I hope that the story will give some life to what I have been (probably very poorly) trying to say. As always thanks for reading and eating along with me!

Sue's Story

"A patient of mine named Sue had been overweight all of her life. Every year as I performed her physical exam, I would recommend weight loss and an exercise program.

At age forty-five, Sue was 5 feet 2 inches, and her weight had climbed to 300 pounds. At her exam that year, after diagnosing her with hypertension, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes, I repeated my recommendations for weight loss and exercise.

Sue laughed and said, 'My whole family is fat. My dad is fat and he is alive, my mom is fat and she's alive, and my brother and sister are fat and they are alive. Just give me my meds, because I'm sure not going to give up my ice cream each evening, my Krispy Kreme doughnuts every morning, or my burgers, pizza, fried chicken, french fries, and Coke. Besides, I just love to eat.'

A few months after that physical, Sue suffered a massive heart attack and almost died. She had a quadruple bypass and found herself lying in the hospital with all sorts of tubes coming out of her body. AFter getting out of the hospital, Sue followed up with me in my office. She said that the pain and possibility of dying and not seeing her three children grow up were not worth the pleasure of eating ice cream, doughnuts, or fast foods.

Nearly dying was a wake-up call for Sue to change her bad habits. She lost 150 pountds-that's half her body weight-in two years and now weights 150 pounds. She weighs herself every day, and if she gains one or two pounds, she loses them by modifying her diet and activities.

You do not have to wait for a near-death experience like Sue's to serve as your wake-up call; you can start taking your health more seriously right now. The same choice God have His people centuries ago is yours to make today: 'I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendents may live' (Deut. 30:19)"

Fall Fruit Salad

As all of you probably know by this point, I am a fall fanatic! Aside from the weather, colors, and clothes, I love the seasonal fruit! Apples are definitely my favorite, but there is a whole plethora of all fall fruits that are delicious!

Several weeks ago I was at the grocery store with my husband shopping for apples in the organic produce section and I saw a bag of fresh cranberries. I had actually never seen fresh cranberries in person before and was very excited. I just had to get some and see what I could do with them. First off, if you've never eaten a cranberry by itself before, it is nothing like cranberry juice, or the cranberry sauce everyone loves at Thanksgiving. Real cranberries, though flavorful, are incredibly tart! I knew of all of the great benefits cranberries have, especially as a woman, so I really wanted to try to make something with the cranberries without adding much sugar to balance our the tartness. What I ended up with was a delicious fall salad made with apples, pears, grapes, cranberries, vanilla yogurt, walnuts, and cinnamon. 

My husband Kris loved it surprisingly. The natural sugar from the other fruit balances out the tartness in the cranberries and makes for a good mix. This salad recipe is also extremely versatile as you can play with different kinds of nuts, or no nuts at all, different kinds of fruits, yogurt, and spices. You can also do different proportions than what I did to get the flavor you want. It is also great because you can eat it almost any time of day for breakfast, a side to lunch, or dessert. Below is my recipe for my fall fruit salad that is also incredibly healthy for you. (I gave general proportions for the cranberries and grapes so that you can have it either more tart or more sweet depending on if you use more of one or the other):

Ingredients:
About 8 servings:

A couple handfuls fresh cranberries (quartered)
Several handfuls red seedless grapes (quartered)
1 Honey crisp apple (chopped)
1 Green pear (chopped)
6 Oz low fat vanilla yogurt
A handful chopped walnuts
Sprinkling of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Once you have chopped everything up, combine all of the ingredients (except the cinnamon) in a large bowl and gently mix them together until the yogurt lightly coats all of the fruit and nut pieces (If you want, you can toast the walnuts in the oven at 350 degrees for 2-5 minutes).
2. Sprinkle cinnamon on salad to taste and gently stir again. 
3. Chill in the refrigerator, or eat right away and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:

•  Calories: 117
• Total Fat: 5.5 grams
• Potassium: 137.3 mg
• Fiber: 3 grams
• Sugar: 12.2 grams
• Protein: 2.4 grams
• Vitamin B-6: 7%
• Vitamin C: 16%
• Calcium: 5%
• Copper: 8%
• Iron: 3%
• Magnesium: 5%
• Manganese: 20%
• Phosphorus: 6%
• Riboflavin: 5%
• Thiamin: 4%

Why It's Good For You:

• Pretty much all of the fruit in this salad (except the grapes) are in season in the fall. This means that you can buy organic (they will have ripened naturally and without the use of pesticides or other chemicals) and they will taste amazing!
• Apples: As I have written about in previous posts (Marvelous Mini Apple Pies), apples are great for you. The skin on them provides a lot of fiber and they have a lot of antioxidants in them to prevent you from getting sick. Read my previous post to learn more about apples.
• Pears: Pears provide both fiber and potassium and are not very high in calories. They also contain a lot of other good minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Some have said that pears are great because they are less likely than other fruits to provoke an allergic reaction. 
• Grapes: Grapes contain a compound called resveratol. In humans, high intakes of resveratol is associated with a reduced risk in cardiovascular disease and a reduced risk of cancer. Resveratol is also one of the best anti-aging substances around. The life spans of all life forms tested so far has been dramatically lengthened by even small amounts of resveratol. Grape skins are also a good source for favonoids called oligomeric proanthocyanidins. This is basically a "super-antioxidant." They also lower cholesterol and are terrific for allergies as they have a natural antihistamine effect. 
• Cranberries: Studies have shown that cranberries have some of the most potent antioxidants of any common fruit studied. They have anticancer properties as well as antibacterial properties that aid in preventing urinary tract infections. It's true, doctors will recommend eating raw cranberries if you think you might be contracting a UTI. Cranberries are nutrition-packed red bombs and though tart, are balanced out very well in this salad.

• Walnuts: Walnuts contain the highest amounts of omega-3 fats of any other nuts. Omega-3 is an incredibly healthy fat that can benefit you in many ways. One of these ways is to support brain function in several ways. Omega-3 fats can actually improve your mood. High consumption of omega-3's has been linked to low levels of depression. Walnuts are also great for kids and have been linked to less behavioral problems and less ADD-like behavior. Walnuts can also help you manage your weight. Eating a few walnuts before a meal decreases levels of hunger and may cause you to eat less at meals. 
• Yogurt and Cinnamon: are also really good for you as well, providing benefits such as having a healthy digestive system because of the "good" bacteria in yogurt and upping your immunity. Cinnamon is good because it can help with pain and stiffness in your muscles and joints as well as reducing blood sugar and lowing cholesterol. There's not a lot of yogurt or cinnamon in this recipe, however, if you are interested in getting more benefits from these other two ingredients you can add more of either. Just be aware that adding yogurt will up the fat and/or sugar content depending on what kind of yogurt you get. I would even recommend getting an organic Greek yogurt and adding either agave and vanilla to sweeten it up or just buy vanilla flavored Greek yogurt. 
• *Most nutritional information in this section was taken from The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden.    

I love this salad because it uses so many fruits that are in season. As I have said before, I think it is truly amazing that God allows fruits with lots of antioxidant power which helps you from getting sick, to be abundant in the seasons when we need protection from sickness the most. Feel free to experiment with this salad and make it your own. Hope you enjoy and as always, thanks for reading and eating along with me!

P.S. I will also be posting some delicious chilly weather soup recipes very soon!