Health habit number one this year was to eat more soup. It is a simple and gratifying way to consume antioxidants in a quick and digestible way. While I am no hipster (I shop at Forever 51), souping is a new trend that has taken on celebrity status. Move over blended fruits and intermittent fasting, there’s a new souper model in town, and she’s in high demand. Passing cold-pressed fruit in popularity, soup offers a savory take on fiber-rich vegetable and broth-based recipes for light, nutritionally impactful meals.
To quote RuPaul “Why y’all acting brand new?” In the South, soup has been a part of our kitchen routine for centuries. Children grow up by the stove watching our apron-clad mothers and grandmothers harvest leftovers and hambones from the icebox to throw them into a pot to simmer all day. And as any Southerner knows, the basics for soup to be satisfying need a recipe that includes six essential elements: protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Nutritionists explain that when veggies are pureed into a soup, you’re able to eat more of them than if they were whole on your plate. In addition, most Americans consume way too few vegetables and plant-based proteins in their diets. Eating soup can be an easy and tasty health habit that incorporates more fiber, vitamin A, magnesium, iron, and potassium into your diet. It’s the ultimate skinny food without starving yourself. Compared to people who enjoy soup on the regular, those who skip the slurp are about 40% more likely to be overweight.
Anyone who knows me, knows I am anything but cool. I love soup because it is easy, modifiable and can satisfy everyone in the family. And with my groceries being about $120,000 a month, it is the best food to make on a budget. I can incorporate ingredients that I already have at home and avoid wasting food that has limited freshness. Not to mention, soup recipes are easy to follow and don't require much attention. This means I can binge-watch Netflix like the rest of Americans if I ever learn how to activate it.
Soup can compose an entire balanced meal that won’t leave us feeling like we are missing anything. Now go sashay yourself into the kitchen and transform your bowl into the new "It Girl." Make it work honey!
Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoons butter
- ½ large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 3 large boneless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper (or 1 whole rotisserie chicken, cubed)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 (0.5-ounce) bundle of fresh poultry blend herbs (Rosemary, Sage & Thyme)
- ¾ cup of uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 lemons, juiced
INSTRUCTIONS
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Sauté the celery, carrots, and onions in a large soup pot with the butter and oil over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes.
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Stir in the garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds.
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Pour in chicken broth and add the uncooked chicken (if using rotisserie chicken, add after the soup has simmered for 20 minutes), poultry blend, and red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil.
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Cover the soup (lid slightly ajar), reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove chicken, shred, and add back to the pot. If using rotisserie chicken, add now.
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While the broth simmers, cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
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Remove fresh herbs from the broth, and add the lemon juice. Add cooked orzo (or if expecting leftovers, add the desired amount of orzo to each bowl) and serve immediately.
TIP: Orzo tends to continue to expand in the broth. If you plan on leftovers, you may want to make and store the orzo separately.
