Fashion Foodie: Chicken Noodle Soup

Photo Credit: Raquel 

Although I love fashion and it's my passion, I also love cooking very much. I am not a master chef  but I like to cook good food and and go out to eat at fine restaurants when possible. But it's not always easy to eat spectacular without destroying your waistline and being healthy. And I'm all about  looking great in my clothes but I don't want to starve either. Therefore, smart cooking and eating is everything to me. In this new segment, "Fashion Foodie" I hope to share healthy, hearty, and yummy recipes from time to time that satisfy my hunger and keep my waistline in check. One of my favorite recipes (especially during Michigan's current polar vortex) is chicken noodle soup. Again, I'm not a top chef but I like good food and feel comfortable in the kitchen. Check out my easy way of cooking the classic soup in the recipe below:

• Ritz Wheat Crackers
• Half of yellow onion, chopped
• Green Onions (Optional)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Roughly a half a cup of baby carrots(chop as thinly as you want into several slices) OR 2 medium sized carrots--the baby carrots seem less tedious to prepare and dice up in  my opinion.
• 2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch-thick or thinner slices
• 1 can of chicken stock (Campbell's and Swanson are my favorite brands) 
• 8 ounces egg noodles
• 1/2 cup cooked chicken breast (You can shred the chicken if you like but I like to cut mine into tiny pieces, instead, and saute with onions, seasoning salt, pepper, and garlic.)
• Seasoning salt 
• Ground black pepper
• 1 handful fresh leaf parsley , finely chopped without the stems (This is also optional but a great additional veggie to add flavor and freshness to the soup. You can pull the leafs apart with your fingers as well.)

*For the noodles, you can cook and strain them after you have sauted the chicken or you may do it while the broth is cooking.*

1) After you have cooked the seasoned chicken breast in a skillet with a  few fresh onions, garlic, and celery, you may shred it. Or if you like me, then you may have simply chosen to cut the chicken into tiny pieces.

2) Pour 5 cups of water into the soup pot over medium heat. Then proceed to add 2 to 3 of slices of butter to the water for additional flavor. Pour in half of the yellow and green onions, garlic,celery and a pinch of parsley leaves that you have cut up. Sprinkle in seasoning salt and pepper. Let that simmer for 3 to 4 minutes with the top on over a medium heat.

3) Then add the can of chicken broth and chicken breast into the pot. Add a bit more seasoning salt and pepper to flavor the broth. Let that cook for 5 minutes.

4) Gradually pour in the carrots, and the remaining portion of  chopped up fresh parsley, celery, garlic, and onions.You can then let the entire broth mixture cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on a  medium heat before adding the noodles or you can add the noodles in too. Let the mixture cooking on a low heat for maybe an additional 5 minutes. (I recommend adding the noodles in after letting the broth itself cooks first. The goal is to let the flavors develop in the broth but not to overcook the noodles or soup.) 

4) After everything is in mixed in, move the soup to a non-heated stove eye to rest and marinate for short minute or two. Finally, serve your bowl of chicken noodle soup with Ritz Wheat Crackers and you're good to go!

I hope you enjoy this recipe!