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

Fabulous Fiber!

What I'm attempting to write about in this post is not ground breaking information, but it is however, important. Simply put, fiber in a must have in your diet for the many health benefits it brings. Usually when people are trying to lose weight doctors will recommend high protein or high fiber diets.

Incorporating fiber into your meals is great because not only does fiber fill you up faster than protein, but it also digests slower and thus you don't get hungry again as fast! Now, onto the gross stuff. . . Fiber helps you have better and more frequent bowel movements (yes, I'm talking about pooping here).  Many people I know can go for days to a week without experiencing a bowel movement, this is not healthy, especially when we are supposed to have one after every meal. According to Dr. Don Colbert author of Eat This and Live, inadequate intake of fiber can lead to constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, bowel irregularities, and colorectal cancer. It is also associated with high cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome, toxin buildup, and poor blood sugar control in diabetics.

There are two kinds of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber increases frequency in bowel movements helping to prevent constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, etc. Soluble fiber is what lowers cholesterol, stabilizes blood sugar, slows digestion, and helps your body eliminate toxins. Both are an important part of your diet.

While fiber can come in many different boring forms, there are plenty of great ways to incorporate it into your diet! Many whole grain cereals have lots of fiber in them as well as healthy nuts, seeds, beans, as well as fruits and vegetables.

Fiber Snacks!

Fiber is especially good at snack time because instead of snacking on empty calories just because you have a craving (french fries would be mine) you can satisfy your hunger and give your body something it will like at the same time! Dr. Colbert recommends getting at least 4 grams of fiber from your snacks.

Kashi is probably one of my favorite brands on the market right now. One, because many of their products are USDA certified organic, and don't contain high fructose corn syrup. Two, because Kashi makes cereals, breads, frozen dinners, and most importantly delicious snacks that are high in fiber. In our household, we have substituted things like potato chips, cheetos, etc., for Kashi Pita Chips. They are delicious and come in several flavors. The box may look small from the outside but they match up price wise with name brand potato chips. The difference is that instead of snacking from a bottomless bag of unhealthy, high in fat, empty calorie chips, you will have just one serving size of pita chips and will most likely satisfied. This means you will consistently eat less, which also means you won't be buying them as often saving you money. Kashi also makes some great granola bars that are full of fiber and that are delectable. My favorite right now is their Pumpkin Pecan one in honor of the great season of Fall! The other thing about Kashi bars is that they are relatively low in sugar, sodium, and fat. If you go online to their website and sign up, you can usually get coupons as well!

Though I've never been the biggest fan of almonds, I have started giving them a try because they have some good fiber in them as well as mono-saturated fat which is a good fat. Other healthy nuts are good as well.

Many kinds of fruits are also very high in fiber and make for a good snack. Apples have 5.7 grams of fiber in them, oranges 4.4 grams, 1/2 cup of raspberries 4.2 grams, 1/2 cup blackberries 3.8 grams, mangoes 3.8 grams, and bananas 2.8 grams.

Fiber Snacks:

Breakfast is a good time to get fiber in so you can have energy for your morning and won't be starving come lunch time. I will often have a bowl of Kashi whole grain cereal with a slice up banana in it. *When buying products that talk about having some amount of grain content in them (i.e. whole grain, multi-grain, 7 grain, whole wheat, wheat, etc.) be sure to look for the yellow USDA stamp on foods that will tell you whether something is 100% whole grain or not. The labels look like this*:

Also, I like to have a bowl of plain, steel cut oatmeal with a touch of agave nectar and blueberries and strawberries. My husband and I both think that this tastes somewhat like a doughnut so it works for everyone! Beware of instant oatmeal though because it does not have as good of a nutritional value as steel cut oatmeal (also made by Quaker) or old fashioned oatmeal. 

At lunch or breakfast double fiber bread is terrific. The key is to find bread that is not high in fat or sugar, but is high in fiber. This is why double fiber bread is such a good thing to have in your pantry. Kris and I use Nature's Pride Whole Wheat Double Fiber Bread, but there are also other brands that make it. Nature's Pride has 5 grams of fiber per slice! Which means that you can get 20% of your daily value in fiber from just one piece of bread! For quick lunches Kris and I usually have two pieces of turkey lunch meat, a slice of cheese, and any other veggies we want on a piece of double fiber bread. Accompany that with a piece of fruit, pita chips, and some dark chocolate and you got yourself a pretty healthy and tasty lunch!

Another way to get fiber in your meals, especially at dinner is to use brown rice. Kris and I just tried Yoga Organic Brown Rice last night and we loved it! One serving has 2 grams of fiber in it. You can pretty much use brown rice with anything. Add some spices to it or vegetables and you have a great side dish. Tonight I will be attempting to make red beans and rice using brown rice so I will let you guys know how that goes. Which reminds me! Beans! Beans are a fantastic source of fiber! 1/2 cup of cooked pinto beans has 7.4 grams of fiber! However, if you buy canned beans be sure to rinse them before using them to get all of the sodium off. 

On desserts, so far I haven't found a whole lot except for this recipe I just tried the other day. I got it from a blog called Chocolate Covered Katie who makes healthy desserts. It was a recipe for healthy chocolate chip blondies using . . . wait for it . . . chickpeas! Which, if you don't know what chickpeas are, they are a type of bean. Weird huh? But they actually turned out pretty good, and not surprisingly, are quite high in fiber. Here is the link to the recipe if you ever get courageous and want to try it yourself:

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/18/chocolate-chip-blondies-and-theyre-good-for-you/

A Few Cautions . . .

When switching to a high fiber diet, Dr. Colbert recommends doing it slowly in increments otherwise you might feel bloated and gassy. 

Also, eating more fiber means drinking more water. Fiber and water work together to stimulate the colon. If you start eating more fiber, you should also increase your water intake . . . which is also good!

Basically, I think that putting fiber in your diet is a really great thing to do for your body. It will make you feel healthier, and hopefully happier all around. I have included some ideas in this post about how to do it, but search the internet and read nutrition labels at the store to discover foods that are high in fiber and incorporate them into your meals. Also please feel free to comment with any ideas or recipes you may have.

Well that's all for today! Hope your day is filled with joy and fiber!