Preparing homemade soup is a great way to eat healthy, control the ingredients in your food and lose weight. Often a family recipe passed down through generations, eating a hot bowl of freshly made soup not only warms you up on a cold day, but brings to mind happy thoughts and memories. A healthy favorite, chicken and vegetable soup provides a low-fat meal and a variety of nutrients.
Step 1
Put the chicken stock into a pot, turn the stove to medium heat and bring to a low boil.
Step 2
Chop carrots, celery and onion into 1/2-inch pieces.
Step 3
Add rice when stock reaches a low boil, and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.
Step 4
Add celery and carrots to the soup as rice starts to soften, and continue cooking over medium heat for another 15 minutes.
Step 5
Add onions, salt, pepper and cooked chicken breast, and cook an additional five minutes. Place some fresh cilantro and chopped garlic in your bowl, and scoop the vegetable chicken soup on top.
Tips and Warnings
- Onions, garlic and cilantro warm the stomach and promote digestion, according to traditional Chinese medicine, while carrots and celery help remove unwanted water from the body. Chicken and rice boost energy and help satisfy hunger. For an extra boost, add a couple of fresh slices of ginger to the chicken stock at the beginning of cooking. According to Henry C. Lu, author of "Chinese System of Food Cures," garlic and ginger are natural remedies for fighting off the common cold and flu.
Things You'll Need
- 3- or 5-qt. pot
- 3/4 cup carrots
- 3/4 cup celery
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1/2 cup rice
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 tbsp. cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
References
- Chinese System of Food Cures; Henry C. Lu; 1986
- Chinese Herbal Medicine, Materia Media; Dan Bensky; 2004
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