Chicken Soup for the Simple Soul

Chicken Soup for the Simple Soul

This soup goes from chop block to table in under 30 minutes, but your family will think you spent all day on it, just like grandma. Substitute cooked brown rice or barley for the noodles whenever possible. I always make this the day after having a roast chicken to use up my leftovers, but the taste is nothing less than deliciously fresh.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 celery heart including leaves, chopped

2 large carrots, sliced into coins

3 cups water

1 ½ cup whole grain egg noodles

3 cups organic free range chicken broth

1 ½ cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or ½ tablespoon dried

Saute onion in oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add celery, carrots and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 8 minutes or until vegetables can be pierced with a fork. Add noodles and return to a boil. Simmer another 10 minutes until pasta is tender. Add chicken broth and cubed chicken, then season with salt and parsley.

Why It's Better:

Organic free range chicken products are far superior to commercially farmed chickens for several reasons. First, commercial farms overcrowd their cages full of chickens to the point of becoming unsanitary. Free range animals are allowed to forage and exercise daily, creating better health and nutrition for the animal and therefore a higher quality food product with more nutrients. Also, many non-organic chicken broths and canned soups contain MSG, a harmful chemical taste enhancer that contributes to diseases like autism, Alzheimer's, diabetes and obesity.