Creamy Chicken Veggie and Rice Soup – Warm the Heart, Warm the Soul!

Don’t let the sunny picture fool you…well ok I’m not even going to go there. Living in California sure its fun in the sun. But when my favorite time of year comes, FALL, I am saddened that the weather is not cool enough to reflect that. I love making soup and bread and warm you up goodies, but when the temperature reaches 80 in November, well sometimes it just isn’t that easy to get my family to eat hot soup! Luckily in between these warm days are a few hit or miss cool and even rainy ones. Leaving me to explore the world of Fall cooking.

Today I made a creamy, warm, stick to your ribs with a hearty healthy kick soup. This soup is almost too hearty to have a second bowl…I did say ALMOST! Filled with vegetables for great nutrition and a little creaminess to round it out, you will surely want to accompany it with a carb filled side! For me I have been making this Focaccia Bread that is just delicious and pairs perfectly with any soup or is fabulous on its own. Take a weekend, get your ingredients together you will want to make both of these delights this weekend!

INGREDIENTS

• 8 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
• 2 Stalks Celery, thinly sliced
• 1 Red  Onion, diced
• 1/2 c. Carrots, I used the shredded ones
• 1 head of broccoli, washed and cut up in small pieces (reserve 1/2 of the florets)
• 1 bunch of Asparagus, washed and trimmed; reserve the stems
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp. All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 c. Cream of Chicken Soup (could substitute in heavy cream, I just had this left over so I wanted to use it)
• 1/4 c. 2% Milk
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• 1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Pepper
• 3 cooked Chicken Breasts, diced

DIRECTIONS:

In a large stockpot, drizzle olive oil on the bottom and add your diced chicken. Season with salt/pepper and cook until browned and cooked through.

Remove from pot and add 1 tbs of olive oil, add; carrots, celery, onion, broccoli, stems of your asparagus and saute for 5 minutes.

*NOTE* Using the stems to the asparagus:

1. Cut the very bottoms off, discard and do not use
2. Bend the bottom of one the asparagus spears until it snaps, this will be your guide for cutting the rest of the bunch
3. Cut the remaining spears and cut the stems into 1/2″ dices, add these to your stockpot.

Add flour and saute for 2 minutes to get the flour taste out of it.

Add chicken broth slowly stirring as you add to avoid clumps. Once all broth is incorporated, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to just at a boil for about 20 minutes, or until all veggies are super soft.

Remove from heat and using an immersion blender (these things ROCK!) start blending until you get the desired consistency you like.

Return pot to stove and reduce heat to low. Add rice stir to combine.

Take a microwave safe bowl and add your milk and cream of chicken soup and combine. Add cheese if using.

Add this to your stockpot along with your reserved chicken and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.

While simmering place your asparagus spears & broccoli florets in a microwave safe bowl and add about 2 tbs water. Cover with Saran wrap and cook for 1 minute. Immediately add to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

When soup is finished garnish with a few of your steamed broccoli florets and asparagus spears.

Crunchy Quinoa Chicken Strips

Quin, who? Quinoa! I know, it’s a weird word, but a delicious whole grain which is really considered a SEED! At any rate, I try to get my family to eat different foods to heighten their pallets, if they know about it, likely they won’t try it! If I tell them about it AFTER they have tried it sometimes the result is better. But most importantly if I disguise it or hide it, they never know and I know they are getting good nutrition and their pallets are being exposed to new foods. Quinoa is a bland grain which is good because you can add to it whatever you want sweet or savory. It is very versatile this way. In order to disguise it using my trickery methods for my family I decide to encrust in on some chicken strips. Yet, that wasn’t enough nutrition for me in this meal. I had to take it 1 step further. Normally when you make any type of cutlets you dip in flour dip in egg, then dip in breading. I decided to add some pureed veggies to my egg mixture instead of just using an egg. Remember the ends of asparagus you throw away? I keep them in the freezer for experimentation… experimentation’s such as this! I used them to create a pesto that will go on top of the finished dish and can be used in helping the quinoa stick to the chicken. Getting those extra nutrients into my kids bellahs!  Yes it is doable…and here is how!

PESTO INGREDIENTS
½ c fresh basil
2 cloves minced garlic cloves
¼ c olive oil, good quality (may require more depending on consistency, add more or less as needed)
2 asparagus stem bundles
Juice of ½ a lime plus zest
1 handful frozen peas
¼ c parmesan cheese
¼ c. toasted whole pine nuts
Salt and pepper to taste

PESTO DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients together in a food processor until a smooth consistency. Taste test before continuing, you may need to add more olive oil or salt and pepper.

CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breast halves, sliced into strips and pounded thin
1 1/4 cups quinoa
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
¼ c Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
2 T garlic powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon paprika
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste

CHICKEN DIRECTIONS
1. Place quinoa in a sauce pan with the chicken stock, salt/pepper, and cumin, and bring to a boil. 

2. Cover and simmer over medium low for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Cook 1-2 more minutes uncovered, stirring, until quinoa starts to stick to the pan. 

3. Remove quinoa from heat and spread out in a thin coat on a plate to cool.

4. Place the flour, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, s/p (if using), and paprika in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle over cooled quinoa 4 T at a time as you coat the chicken pieces adding more to the dish. I do it this way so I can reserve the flour mixture for later use. Once it touches the raw chicken, you cannot reuse it.

5. Beat  1 egg and add ½ cup pesto mixture and place in another shallow bowl together. 

6. Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. 

7. Season the chicken pieces lightly with s/p. Dredge each piece of chicken first in the pesto/egg mixture, then in the flour/quinoa mixture patting the quinoa onto the chicken to coat.  NOTE: this is a bit of an acquired technique. If quinoa falls off, you are not alone. I find it best to hole the chicken tender in my left hand and press the quinoa firmly onto it. Add it immediately to the heated oiled pan. Once it is in place, LEAVE it until time to turn.

8. Place as many chicken pieces that will fit into the skillet and cook, turning once carefully with a spatula, about 4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through.  NOTE: You need to use a spatula, the quinoa tends to stick and if you use a different utensil, you will take the coating off the chicken.

9. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding a little more olive oil to the skillet as necessary. 

10. Serve warm and drizzle with additional pesto on top

Good quality chicken stock or broth works great in recipes

Stock being added to quinoa

cooling quinoa

asparagus stems un-thawing

pesto ingredients in food processor

DON’T FORGET THE LIME!

Pesto and egg mix

quinoa and flour mix

chicken strips cooling

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia Salad & Poppy Seed Dressing

INGREDIENTS

2 – 3 oz tilapia fillets, de-boned
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1/4 c. bread crumbs (I make them myself)
1 c. flour
1/4 c cornmeal
1 egg, beaten
salt/pepper to taste
1 tsp. italian seasonings 
Fresh sage leaves, removed from stem and whole
4 garlic cloves, skin removed and whole
1 Stalk asparagus, trimmed and cleaned
1 lemon
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
4 c. baby butter leaf lettuce and baby spinach, washed

DIRECTIONS

1. In skillet drizzle 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil in pan, add 2 sage leaves and 2 garlic cloves.
2. Heat until fragrant, just a few minutes. Remove garlic from pan and add asparagus.
3. Cook asparagus until the desired tenderness is desired. I cook for approximately 5 minutes, tossing often in sage and garlic oil.
4. While cooking asparagus, you will lay out 3 bowls or trays. (1) for flour, (1) egg, (1) bread crumbs. In the container for the flour add; flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Container for the bread crumbs add; bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning. Container for egg; beaten egg.
5. Heat another skillet with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Add 2 sage leaves and 2 cloves garlic. Heat until fragrant and remove garlic cloves.
6. Battering the fish is as follows:  dip in flour mixture, dip in  egg wash, dip in bread crumb mixture then add to preheated skillet
7. Cook on medium heat until cooked thoroughly about 10 minutes total depending on thickness of fish, or until internal temperature reaches at least 150 degrees F.
8. Drain on paper towel to get rid of any excess oil (there won’t be hardly any) set aside until ready to top salad.
9. Meanwhile if asparagus is finished, drain on paper towel.
10. On a plate add 2 c. of salad mixture. Top with fish, asparagus, lemon wedge, poppy seeds.

Keep in mind I am doing this out of my head on this one, if the measurements are not exact, I apologize.

DRESSING INGREDIENTS
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
4 tbsp. sugar or honey
1-2 tsp. yellow mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon
dash of poppy seeds

DIRECTIONS

In bowl combine all ingredients and whisk together. Taste test to see if more vinegar, sugar or mustard is needed. Best if chilled for 30 minutes. Drizzle over salad as needed.