Chicken Soup
Serves 4 people
Ingredients
-Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
-3-4 split chicken breasts (free-range organic, if possible), rinsed, patted dry
-4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
-Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
-2 heaping cups thinly shredded cabbage
-1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced
-1 yellow summer squash, diced
-2 zucchini squash, diced
-6 to 8 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
-1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies - mild or hot, to taste
-1 teaspoon rubbed sage
-1 teaspoon each of: dried basil, oregano and parsley, hot red pepper flakes, to taste
-1 14-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
-2 or more cups organic chicken broth, as needed
-a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce, to taste, if desired (optional)
Preparation
1. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil into the bottom of a crock pot or slow cooker. Lay the chicken breasts in the bottom; top with the chopped garlic. Season with sea salt and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, bell pepper, yellow and zucchini squashes, potatoes, and green chilies; and toss them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt, ground pepper, herbs and a shake or two of hot red pepper flakes. Toss to coat.
3. Pour the veggies into the crock in an even layer. Pour on the diced tomatoes. Add the chicken broth and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, to taste. The liquid should just about cover the veggies. If you like more of a brothy soup than a stew, add more broth.
4. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the chicken is done and easily breaks apart into pieces with a large spoon. Taste test to insure proper seasoning, making any necessary adjustments. Serve and enjoy!
Healthy Tip!
According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep is essential for a person’s wellbeing. Duh. When we’re well rested, we’re more focused, alert, and productive. When we’re not, we’re not. We’re more irritable, less energetic, and certainly much less graceful. Clearly, sleep can help to reduce stress. It can also keep your heart healthy and may prevent cancer. It even helps bolster your memory and wait for it, sleeping can help you lose weight! It’s thought that lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite, otherwise known as ghrelin and leptin. Ergo, if you’re working out, eating right, and not quite seeing the results you want, you may want to check your sleeping habits. Sweet dreams and sleep tight!